AS Roma and Bayer 04 have played each other four times in Europe to date with a win for each team plus two draws. Both teams have scored at least one goal in every game. A total of 19 goals with an average of 4.8 per match. The Werkself last met AS Roma in November 2015 in a 3-2 defeat in the Champions League group stage.
The two head coaches of the semi-finalists share a common past: Bayer 04 coach Xabi Alonso was at Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013 under AS Roma’s current coach José Mourinho. During that period, Alonso made 151 appearances for Real Madrid and was the winner 108 times. No other Real Madrid player other than Cristiano Ronaldo (14,140 minutes) played more under Mourinho than Alonso (12,548).
Anyone unable to be at the game today: RTL are broadcasting the match in Germany on free TV with the programme beginning at 20.15 CEST. As usual, Werkself Radio is also available. The audio broadcast starts 30 minutes before kick-off with commentary provided by Cedric Pick and Niko Hartmann. You can also keep up-to-date via live text commentary to ensure you don’t miss any of the action. Both Werkself Radio and the live text update service are available at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app.
UEFA has appointed Michael Oliver as the match referee. The 38-year-old Englishman has previously been in charge of three games involving the Werkself with the Black and Reds winning all three: 1-0 at Rosenborg BK (Europa League 2012/13), 2-0 at Lokomotiv Moscow (Champions League 2019/20) and 2-0 against Atlético Madrid (Champions League 2022/23). He is assisted by his fellow countrymen Stuart Burt and Lee Betts, with Stuart Attwell– also from England – in action as the VAR official.
Like Bayer 04, AS Roma did not do well in their last match before the semi-final first leg. The Giallorossi lost 2-0 to Inter Milan at the weekend with goals scored by Federico Dimarco and Romelu Lukaku. It was a defeat that represents a severe setback in the race for a Champions League finish in Serie A for the team under coach José Mourinho. Nevertheless, the cult manager did not want to criticise his players. On the contrary, at the post-match press conference Mourinho said: “I’m incredibly proud of my lads. We played against the strongest team in Italy today, against a team who are in the semi-finals of the Champions League. It’s great to see that we weren’t inferior to Inter. The score was 2-0 because they didn’t miss anything in front of goal but we did. But we carry out on, it’s not over yet.” The info on personnel, performers and problems for AS Roma can be found in our lowdown on the next opponents.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have loaned U19 midfielder Jeremiah Mensah to Dutch second-tier side Roda JC Kerkrade for one year. The 18-year-old Germany youth international has a long-term contract at the club to 2031.
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Bayer 04 kick off the final phase of their 2026/27 pre-season preparations with a friendly against Premier League club Nottingham Forest. Head coach Carles Martínez’s team will take to the pitch at the City Ground today, Wednesday 12 August (kick-off: 8.45 pm/7.45 pm local time). Werkself-TV will broadcast the match live and in full exclusively for Bayer 04 members via livestream from 8.35 pm...
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have signed Argentina international Facundo Medina. The defender, who can play both at left-back and in a more central position in the back line, has signed a contract with Bayer 04 to 30 June 2031. The 1.84-metre-tall World Cup runner-up, who will wear the number 2 shirt, joins the club from French top-flight side Olympique de Marseille.
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Villa Fiorito, River Plate, Ligue 1, the World Cup final and now Bayer 04: Facundo Medina’s life story so far has been shaped by special places, clubs, matches and names. One of them is Diego Maradona, who, like Medina, hailed from the south of Buenos Aires. Another is Exequiel Palacios, his former team-mate at River Plate, who was raving about Bayer 04 to him as recently as the World Cup in North America. Medina has now taken the plunge into the Bundesliga and, as an Argentine World Cup runner-up, has joined Bayer 04 from Olympique de Marseille this week. It is set to be the next successful chapter in his career. Leverkusen’s new number 2 brings with him a South American mentality and passion, a wealth of experience from many years in Ligue 1, and a fascinating story to the Rhineland – and to a club where the 1.84-metre-tall left-footed player will be reunited with Palacios and several other familiar faces.
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Shortly after signing his contract with Bayer 04, new signing Facundo Medina spoke to Werkself.tv about his first impressions of the club, his expectations and his conversations with his Argentine compatriot Exequiel Palacios. The defender also reveals what the fans can look forward to. Welcome to Leverkusen, Facu!
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