Leverkusen in the squad with Čechy Hložek and Schick did not make it to the final of the Europa League

Update: 18.05.2023 23:05

Leverkusen (Germany) – The Leverkusen footballers in the squad with Czech national team forwards Adam Hložek and the injured Patrik Schick will not play in the Europa League final. Bayer drew goalless in the home rematch of the semi-final with AS Rome and did not advance to the competition for the winning trophy after the opening 0:1 away defeat. Hložek came on as a substitute only in the 80th minute, Schick is out of the game for health reasons until the end of the season.

AS Roma will face Sevilla, who beat Juventus Turin 2-1 after extra time, in the final on May 31 in Budapest. Substitute Erik Lamela scored the decisive goal in the 95th minute. After 90 minutes, both mutual matches ended 1:1, Dušan Vlahovič gave the visitors the lead today in the 65th minute, but in six minutes another substitute player, Suso, equalized.

Sevilla has reached the final of the competition for the seventh time, having turned all previous six appearances into trophies. She last celebrated in the 2019/20 season. AS Rome will play in the cup finals for the fourth time overall and for the second time in a row, having dominated the European Conference League a year ago.

After the opening defeat in Rome, Leverkusen needed to erase the loss and were significantly more active from the start. He won the first half 12:1 on shots, but he had the only scoring chance before the break in the 12th minute, when Diaby hit the top post after escaping.

After the change, the German club continued to run into AS’s famous defensive line. In the 67th minute, goalkeeper Patrício saved Demirbaye’s low shot, and in the 81st minute, Azmún narrowly missed the post. Even substitute Czech representative Hložek did not score the desired goal, which Leverkusen directed into extra time. Bayer thus failed to reach the first cup final in 21 years and the third overall in the club’s history.

Defender Gatti secured a home draw for Juventus at the end of the setup a week ago, and in the return he was able to assert himself after 15 minutes, when his header was blocked by goalkeeper Búnú. On the opposite side, goalkeeper Szczesny made a save against Ocampos.

Sevilla held the ball more, but Juventus threatened from breaks. However, Di Maria’s technical finish did not work out and Kean hit the side post in the 33rd minute. Meanwhile, Acuňa shot past the visiting goalkeeper with a shot from a distance. Turin then got the ball into the net, but the goal was disallowed due to the previous offside. Cuadrado then fouled Torres in the set-up just before the goal and the home team did not get the advantage of the penalty.

The beautiful football continued even after the break. Rabiot after the break, as well as Bremer after a header, narrowly missed, but in the 65th minute, the guests were waiting. Substitute Vlahovič had only been on the pitch for two minutes when he pushed past defenders and gently slotted the ball into the net. However, the home team equalized in six minutes. Another substitute, Suso, stretched behind the goal and beat the visiting goalkeeper.

Szczesny held Juventus to a header at the end of regular time, but in the fifth minute of extra time he was unable to reach a fierce header by substitute Lamela, who can look forward to a duel with his former employer in the final. On the other hand, he will lose the duel against AS Roma after the second yellow card and the expulsion of Acuň. Juventus have not reached their first cup final since 2017.

The second leg of the UEFA Europa League semi-finals:

Leverkusen – AS Rome 0:0

Referees: Vinčič – Klančnik, Kovačič – Kajtazovič (video, all Slovenian.). ŽK: Hincapié, Palacios, Bakker, Diaby, Tapsoba, Alonso (coach) – Ibanez, Cristante, Abraham. Audience: 30,210 (sold out). First match: 0:1, advanced to AS Roma.

Assemblies:

Leverkusen: Hradecky – Tapsoba, Tah (86. Amiri), Hincapié – Frimpong, Demirbay, Palacios (80. Hložek), Bakker (73. Adli) – Wirtz, Diaby – Azmún. Coach: Alonso.

Rome: Patrício – Mancini, Cristante, Ibaňez – Celik (78. Smalling), Bove, Matič, Pellegrini, Spinazzola (34. Zalewski) – Belotti (46. Wijnaldum), Abraham. Coach: Mourinho.

FC Sevilla – Juventus Turin 2:1 (1:1, 0:0) after extra time.

Goals: 71. Suso, 95. Lamela – 65. Vlahovič. Referees: Makkelie – Steegstra, De Vries – Van Boekel (video, all Dutch). ŽK: Acuňa, Suso, Montiel – Kean, Danilo, Paredes. ČK: 115. Acuňa. Spectators: 42,194. First match: 1:1, Sevilla advanced.

Assemblies:

Sevilla: Búnú – Navas (106. Papu Gómez), Badé, Gudelj, Acuňa – Fernando, Rakitic – Ocampos (70. Lamela), Torres (62. Suso, 117. Rekik), Gil (100. Montiel) – Nasírí. Coach: Mendilibar.

Juventus: Szczesny – Gatti, Bremer, Danilo – Cuadrado (106. Milik), Fagioli (41. Paredes), Locatelli (88. Miretti), Rabiot, Iling-Junior (88. Kostič) – Di María (63. Chiesa) – Kean ( 63. Vlahovič). Coach: Allegri.