Leverkusen won't let up after setting European unbeaten record
Bayer Leverkusen set a European record of 49 games unbeaten with yet another late, late goal and vowed they would not let up as they pursue a treble and an unprecedented unbeaten season in all competitions.
Josip Stanišić scored after 97 minutes in the 2-2 draw at home with Rome on Thursday which sealed a 4-2 aggregate win and a spot in the Europa League final against Italy's Atalanta.
The late leveller, the latest in a string of recent injury-time levellers from the recently crowned Bundesliga champions, also meant Leverkusen beat Benfica's 1965 record of 48 games unbeaten for sides playing domestically and in Europe.
No European team has ever gone unbeaten in all competitions across an entire season. Leverkusen have two Bundesliga games left, plus the Europa League final on May 22 in Dublin and the German Cup final three days later against second division Kaiserslautern.
"I saw in the guys' eyes that they still believed we could turn the game around," coach Xabi Alonso, whose side were 2-0 down on Thursday, told reporters.
"To play two finals in a week is going to be unbelievable. I'm so proud of the team and now we have a big goal - to win three titles."
Leverkusen were in the relegation zone in the Bundesliga in October 2022 when Alonso took over. He dragged them up to sixth in the table last season while they lost to Roma at the same stage of the Europa League.
Late revenge was sweet.
"You can't count us out, not even for a second," wing back Jeremie Frimpong told TNT Sports.
"No-one gives up. Everyone knows that if we go down, we will get a goal."
