Leverkusen extends unbeaten run to 49-matches to reach Europa League final

GERMANY: Bayer Leverkusen had a double reason to celebrate in stoppage time on Thursday.

Not only did it reach the Europa League final and keep its treble bid on course but substitute Josip Stanisic’s late goal preserved its remarkable unbeaten record as Leverkusen rescued a 2-2 draw against Roma. Both had seemed at risk during the semi-final second leg after two Leandro Paredes penalties had made it 2-0 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate. But an own goal by Roma defender Gianluca Mancini eight minutes from time and Stanisic’s equaliser saw Leverkusen stretch its unbeaten streak to 49 matches.

Leverkusen advanced 4-2 on aggregate and will face another Italian team on May 22 in Dublin after Atalanta beat Marseille 3-0 to advance 4-1 on aggregate.

“You dream of an atmosphere like this. You dream of games like this. As a kid, you want to be in these games and then when you equalise just before the end and get to the final, it’s incredible.”

The fact that its unbeaten record was preserved about 30 seconds away from coming to an end was another improbable finale in an impressive season for Xabi Alonso’s team, which has already won the Bundesliga title and also reached the German Cup final.

Roma, after losing the first leg last week, knew it faced a difficult task and star forward Paulo Dybala was only fit for a place on the bench after sustaining an injury against Juventus over the weekend.

Atalanta reaches final

After kicking out Liverpool in the quarter-final, Atalanta marched to its first European final with a dominant victory over former European champion Marseille.

Amid a string of chances, Ademola Lookman put the hosts ahead after half an hour in the second leg in Bergamo with a shot deflected into the net by Marseille captain Samuel Gigot.

Lookman set up Matteo Ruggeri in the second half to double the advantage and substitute El Bilal Toure finished it off in stoppage time.

The biggest success in Europe for Atalanta so far was a semi-final in the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1988.