Fast Results
Scores
Racecards
Bayer Leverkusen vs Roma betting tips, BuildABet, best bets and preview
Football betting tips: Champions League
2pts Roma 4+ corners at 6/5 (bet365)
BuildABet @ 26/1
- Roma 5+ corners
- Florian Wirtz 2+ shots on target
- Robert Andrich 1+ shots on target
Kick-off time: 20:00 BST, Thursday
TV channel: TNT Sports 2
Home 1/2 | Draw 7/2 | Away 5/1
Agg. score: Leverkusen 2-0 Roma
From 'Neverkusen' to 'Neverlusen' - Xabi Alonso's remarkable Bayer Leverkusen side are closing in on an entire season unbeaten.
Augsburg and Bochum shouldn't be problematic in their final couple of Bundesliga games, neither should Kaiserslautern in the domestic cup, meaning Roma and whoever awaits them in the final in this competition pose the toughest challenge to that achievement.
The first leg victory in Rome was deserved based on the chances they created, although their opponents could have found the net to cut into the deficit.
Leverkusen are now 1/2 favourites to lift the trophy and you won't find many people disagreeing with them going the distance.
WHAT A HIT THAT IS! 💥
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 2, 2024
Robert Andrich roots the goalkeeper from range ✨
All kicking off after the goal 😬#UEL pic.twitter.com/2HQRuFlJ4K
What are the best bets?
The hosts won't sit back but the emphasis is clearly on Roma to attack and force a positive result.
You can get even money and odds-against in most places on ROMA 4+ CORNERS which is particularly appealing when we factor in the game state.
It's a bet I often go to in these situations but it's one that makes sense. Team B is chasing something against Team A, the ball ends up deflected behind with safety the main aim.
I'm writing this on Wednesday, but both second legs on Tuesday night showed this was the case. Barnsley took six corners when facing Bolton and trailing by two after the first leg, PSG took a huge 12 as they were down by a goal to Dortmund.
Averages aren't really worth considering in this situation, we're focused purely on the state of the tie. Roma though did take eight corners when chasing the game against Udinese recently too.
Team news
It's positive signs for both managers with near full squads to choose from.
Roma's only injury doubt surrounds forward Paulo Dybala, with muscle fatigue a factor at this stage of the season.
Leverkusen are likely to go with the same XI which secured victory in the first leg.
Predicted line-ups
Leverkusen XI: Kovář; Stanišić, Tah, Tapsoba; Frimpong, Andrich, Xhaka, Hincapie; Writz, Adli, Grimaldo.
Roma XI: Svilar; Çelik, Mancini, Smalling, Spinazzola; Cristante, Paredes, Pellegrini; Dybala, Lukaku, El Shaarawy.
Match facts
- Across the previous seven meetings between Bayer Leverkusen and Roma, both sides have shared two victories apiece (three draws). However, Leverkusen’s victory in the first leg was the first time a meeting between these two sides had been won by the away side (2-0).
- Roma haven’t won on any of their last six away trips to face German sides in European competition (D2 L4), and have netted just six goals combined across those games. Their last such victory dates back to December 2000, a 3-0 win over Hamburger SV in the UEFA Cup (last 32, second leg).
- Bayer Leverkusen are looking to qualify for their third final in major European competition, after previously doing so in the 1987-88 UEFA Cup and 2001-02 UEFA Champions League.
- Roma could become just the third side to reach the final in consecutive UEFA Europa League tournaments, after Benfica (2012-13 and 2013-14) and Sevilla (2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16).
- Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso could become the sixth different Spanish manager to reach a UEFA Europa League final, with five already being the most from any nation (Sánchez Flores, Benítez, Emery, Lopetegui and Mendilibar). Indeed, nine of the previous 14 finals in this competition have featured a Spanish coach in charge of one of the teams.
- With nine wins from their 11 games in the UEFA Europa League this season (D2), Bayer Leverkusen’s win percentage (82%) is the highest of any side to play 10+ games in a single campaign since Atlético de Madrid in 2011-12 (87% - 13/15), who would go on to lift the trophy that year.
- Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz has created the most chances from open play (28) in the UEFA Europa League this season. Indeed, this is the most by a player aged 21 or under in a single campaign in the competition since being rebranded in 2009-10.
- Romelu Lukaku has netted seven goals in 12 games in the UEFA Europa League this season, the second-most of any player after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (10). However, Lukaku is currently on a run of three games without a goal in the competition, with this his longest run of starts within the same campaign without scoring since 2010-11 with Anderlecht (4).
Odds correct at 0945 BST (08/05/24)
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
MOST READ FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL TIPS
