Swissquote match analysis: Roma 0-2 Leverkusen

We take a closer look at Bayer Leverkusen's 2-0 win against Roma in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League semi-final tie.

In this article brought to you by Swissquote, UEFA's Technical Observer panel, working together with UEFA’s performance analysis unit, shines a light on the keys to yet another victory for Xabi Alonso's relentless outfit.

Leverkusen's run to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals has showcased the German side's clear playing identity. Utilising effective build-up play from the back and clever positional rotation in midfield and attacking areas, Alonso's team have successfully overcome a variety of attempts to disrupt their playing approach.

Roma began the first leg of this semi-final intent on succeeding where others had failed. Daniele De Rossi's side aimed to prevent Leverkusen from finding rhythm in their short build-up play from the goalkeeper. To do so, the Italian side committed players to their high press with the intent of regaining the ball as close to Leverkusen's goal as possible. At times, this involved both their full-backs and all three central midfield players stepping forward.

The home side had some success with this strategy. The first clip in the video below shows how Roma create a 5v4 attacking transition after regaining the ball in the final third. However, they were unable to capitalise on the attacking advantage.

In response to Roma's high press, Leverkusen were, on occasion, forced to play over the pressure and into their frontline. De Rossi's side hoped that by forcing their opponent to play more direct they would be able to regain the ball through the aerial dominance of central defenders Chris Smalling and Gianluca Mancini.

The second clip shows how Roma's three central midfield players, Bryan Cristante, Leandro Paredes and Lorenzo Pellegrini, were quick to recover from their high pressing position to compete for a second ball in midfield leading to a regain of possession in Leverkusen's half.

Leverkusen create opportunities during attacking transitions

With Roma regularly committing six, and at times seven, players to their high press there was the risk that Leverkusen would exploit the defensive spaces vacated. The video below illustrates how Alonso's side regularly exploited the room left by Roma's full-backs to create a number of goalscoring chances.

The chances created arise from Leverkusen's quick combination play, strong running without the ball and accurate forward passing. With more conviction the German champions could have benefitted further from these moments.

The second clip in the video above is notable for Jeremie Frimpong's impressive recovery run to track Roma's Leonardo Spinazzola before launching his own forward run into the space vacated by the left-back. The Dutch international demonstrates the physical qualities required to play as a wing-back in Leverkusen's system as well as the recognition of space to exploit in transition.

In this phase of play, the role of Florian Wirtz, who has been one of Leverkusen's standout players of this UEFA Europa League campaign so far, should not be undervalued. The German international demonstrates his technical prowess in effectively receiving, turning and threading a through pass for Frimpong to run onto. On many occasions, Wirtz helped Leverkusen turn defence into attack with his ability to drive forward efficiently with the ball.

Leverkusen's fluidity and rotation in possession

It was not only through transition that Leverkusen caused Roma problems. The three clips in the video below illustrate the positioning and player rotations used by Leverkusen in possession. Alonso's side often move into a 3-2-2-3 formation when building attacking moves and showed this both in their own and their opponents' half.

“Leverkusen used a 1-3-2-2-3 formation when in possession," explained UEFA's Technical Observer panel. "To create this shape, their wingers and wing-backs constantly rotated inside to create the two No10 positions. As highlighted in the clips, by creating four attacking units, Roma struggled to manage the space between their midfield and defensive units."

With wing-backs Josip Stanišić and Alejandro Grimaldo regularly moving inside to join Wirtz in the No10 spaces, Leverkusen were able to offer a number of central passing lanes. These passing lanes were regularly exploited by Leverkusen's deep-lying midfield pair of Granit Xhaka and Robert Andrich. Xhaka, in particular, routinely demonstrated his awareness and ability to play incisive passes that broke Roma’s defensive lines.

"Leverkusen's conviction in movement and passing was demonstrated for the second goal," added UEFA's Technical Observer panel. "While the strike by Andrich will get all the headlines, the two line-breaking passes during the build-up from defender Jonathan Tah and Xhaka enable Andrich to get into a shooting position. The unselfish movement from centre-forward Amine Adli before Xhaka’s pass also creates the space for Grimaldo to run into the space created."