Bayer Leverkusen's record unbeaten march continues with a 2-0 win at Roma in Europa League

ROME (AP) — An imposing stadium in a major foreign capital did nothing to stop Bayer Leverkusen’s record unbeaten march across Europe.

The freshly crowned first-time Bundesliga champion silenced the Stadio Olimpico with a 2-0 win at Roma in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals on Thursday to extend its unbeaten streak to 47 matches across all competitions.

No club from Europe’s five biggest leagues — in Germany, England, Italy, Spain and France — has had a longer unbeaten streak.

“We take things game by game and we are not thinking about being unbeaten,” Leverkusen midfielder Amine Adli said. “We are not thinking about making history or things like that — that’s why we are playing like this and the team is strong. We just want to enjoy ourselves.”

The result also marked a measure of revenge for Leverkusen — since Roma had beaten the German club in this exact same stage last season for its last defeat in Europe.

“We know it is not easy to play here,” Adli said. “We played a very serious game.”

Leverkusen’s last loss across all competitions was a 3-0 defeat to Bochum in the final round of last season’s Bundesliga nearly a year ago — on May 27, 2023.

Roma was dangerous with an early header off the crossbar from Romelu Lukaku. But then Leverkusen scored on the counterattack seven minutes later.

A failed back pass from Roma right back Rick Karsdorp under pressure from Alex Grimaldo on the left flank resulted in a 3-on-1 for Leverkusen. Grimaldo then passed to Florian Wirtz, who calmly slotted in from the center of the area.

Midfielder Robert Andrich added another goal for Leverkusen in the 73rd with a long-range shot — just as Roma had been threatening on the other end.

In the other semifinal, Atalanta drew 1-1 at Marseille.

The second legs will be held next Thursday, with the final to be held in Dublin on May 22.

Leverkusen has won only one European trophy: the 1988 UEFA Cup, which was then predecessor to the Europa League. Its only other European final came in the 2002 Champions League, won by Real Madrid.

Roma is aiming to qualify for its third consecutive European final after winning the Europa Conference League in 2022 and losing last year’s Europa League final to Sevilla in a penalty shootout.

Daniele De Rossi replaced Jose Mourinho as Roma’s coach in January.

The Giallorossi hadn’t lost a European knockout stage game at home in seven years — since getting beat 1-0 by Villarreal in the 2017 Europa League.

Roma fans’ pre-match choreography across one entire end of the stadium spelled out the word “AVANZIAMO” (“Let’s advance”). But Roma now faces an uphill challenge to eliminate Leverkusen, which hasn't lost all season.

Marseille’s players were treated to an ovation at Stade Velodrome from their hard-to-please fans after the draw with Atalanta — which eliminated Liverpool in the quarterfinals.

Atalanta took the lead in the 11th when striker Gianluca Scamacca hit a low shot into the bottom corner after reading Teun Koopmeiners’ clever pass.

But Marseille equalized in the 20th when central defender Chancel Mbemba collected Geoffrey Kondogbia’s pass and his fine curling shot from the edge of the penalty area hit the left post and rolled in.

The second half was almost entirely one-way traffic as Marseille pushed forward. Winger Ismaïla Sarr had a goal disallowed for an offside following a video review and substitute Azzedine Ounahi hit the crossbar with a curling shot in the 73rd.

In the third-tier competition semifinal first legs, Aston Villa’s hopes of reaching a first European final since 1982 were diminished with a 4-2 home loss to Olympiakos, the first defeat at Villa Park in the European campaign for the last English club in European competitions.

Villa came back from 2-0 down but was not able to answer Ayoub El Kaabi’s third goal of the game. The striker converted from the penalty spot to make it 3-2 for his eighth goal in the competition this season. Santiago Hezze finished the scoring before Douglas Luiz wasted a penalty for Villa.

Olympiakos is aiming to play on home soil in the May 29 final in Athens.

Earlier, El Kaabi scored twice within a half hour put the visitors in charge.

In Florence, substitute M’Bala Nzola netted in stoppage time for last-year’s runner-up Fiorentina to secure a 3-2 victory over 10-man Club Brugge.

Brugge’s Raphael Onyedika was sent off after receiving his second yellow card on the hour when the Italian club was 2-1 up but the visitors equalized through Igor Thiago to complete a counter just minutes later.

Riccardo Sottil put Fiorentina ahead early on, Brugge captain Hans Vanaken answered with an equalizer from the penalty spot and then Andrea Belotti restored the lead for Fiorentina on a rebound.

AP Sports Writers Jerome Pugmire in Paris and Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/Soccer

Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Europa Conference League semifinal, first leg, soccer match between Aston Villa and Olympiacos at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Olympiacos' Ayoub El Kaabi scores his side's third goal from the penalty spot during the Europa Conference League semifinal, first leg, soccer match between Aston Villa and Olympiacos at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Olympiacos' Ayoub El Kaabi, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Europa Conference League semifinal, first leg, soccer match between Aston Villa and Olympiacos at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Marseille's Chancel Mbemba celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Olympique de Marseille and Atalanta at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, France, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Atalanta's Gianluca Scamacca celebrates with teammates after scoring his sides first goal during the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Olympique de Marseille and Atalanta at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, France, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

Leverkusen's head coach Xabi Alonso shouts out as gives instructions from the side line during the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Roma and Bayer Leverkusen at Rome's Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Fans light flares during the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Roma and Bayer Leverkusen at Rome's Olympic Stadium, Italy, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Roma's head coach Daniele De Rossi, left, and Leverkusen's head coach Xabi Alonso ahead the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Roma and Bayer Leverkusen at Rome's Olympic Stadium, Italy, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka, left, and Roma's Bryan Cristante fight for the ball during the UEFA Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between AS Roma and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the Olympic stadium in Rome, Italy, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)

Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, top, is challenged by Roma's Paulo Dybala during the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Roma and Bayer Leverkusen at Rome's Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Roma's goalkeeper Mile Svilar, bottom, fails to save the ball as Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, top, scores his side's opening goal during the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Roma and Bayer Leverkusen at Rome's Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz celebrates after scoring their side's first goal of the game during the UEFA Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between AS Roma and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the Olympic stadium in Rome, Italy, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Fabrizio Corradetti/LaPresse via AP)

Bayer Leverkusen fans cheer during the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Roma and Bayer Leverkusen at Rome's Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Leverkusen's Robert Andrich celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Roma and Bayer Leverkusen at Rome's Olympic Stadium, Italy, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, center, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal with his teammates during the Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Roma and Bayer Leverkusen at Rome's Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico was seriously wounded in an apparent assassination attempt just weeks before a Europe-wide election that has been deeply divisive. He was shot multiple times in an attack in the town of Handlova that authorities described as politically motivated, although they said the suspect did not belong to any political groups.

Here’s a global look at other notable assassinations and assassination attempts during the 21st century:

— Sept. 1, 2022: Argentina's then-Vice President Cristina Fernández is targeted by a man who reportedly aimed a handgun at point-blank range toward the politician in what government ministers characterize as an assassination attempt.

— July 8, 2022: Japanese former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is assassinated by a gunman who opened fire on him as he delivered a campaign speech on a street in western Japan.

— Nov. 6, 2021: Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survives an assassination attempt when two armed drones target his residence in Baghdad's Green Zone area. While al-Kadhimi is uninjured, seven of his security guards are injured in the attack.

— Oct. 15, 2021: British lawmaker David Amess is stabbed to death by an Islamic State supporter while meeting with voters.

— July 7, 2021: Haitian President Jovenel Moïse is assassinated by gunmen in an overnight raid on his Port-au-Prince home. His widow, Martine, ex-prime minister Claude Joseph and the former chief of Haiti’s National Police, Léon Charles, among others, are indicted in his killing in February 2024.

— April 20, 2021: Chad President Idriss Deby Itno is killed while battling rebels in the north. Hours earlier he had been declared the winner of an election that would have given him another six years in power.

— Aug. 4, 2018: Drones armed with explosives detonate near Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an apparent assassination attempt while he is delivering a speech to hundreds of soldiers being broadcast live on television. Six people are later arrested in connection with the attack.

— Dec. 19, 2016: Russia’s ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov is shot dead by a Turkish policeman shouting condemnation of Russia’s military role in Syria, in front of a shocked gathering at a photo exhibit. The gunman was later killed in a shootout with police.

— July 15, 2016: A group of Turkish soldiers using tanks, warplanes and helicopters launch a plot to overthrow Turkey's president and government. The coup attempt fails. One year later, 40 people are sentenced to life in prison after being convicted on charges that include attempting to kill President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

— June 16, 2016: British lawmaker Jo Cox is shot and stabbed to death by a far-right supporter in the English village of Birstall, part of her constituency.

— Feb. 6, 2013: Tunisian left-wing opposition leader Chokri Belaid is fatally shot outside his Tunis home. His killing — followed six months later by that of another left-wing leader, Mohammed Brahmi — plunged Tunisia into political chaos. Four people are sentenced to death and two others to life in prison in March 2024 for their roles in his death.

— Oct. 20, 2011: Longtime Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi is hunted and summarily killed by insurgents after being toppled in a NATO-backed uprising.

— Jan. 8, 2011: U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords survives an assassination attempt after being shot by a man in an Arizona grocery store parking lot while meeting with constituents. Giffords' injuries are so significant that she has to re-learn how to walk and talk. The attack kills six other people and wounds 11 more.

— March 2, 2009: Guinea-Bissau President Joao Bernardo Vieira is killed by renegade soldiers in his palace, hours after a bomb blast killed his rival in the West African nation.

— December 27, 2007: Benazir Bhutto, the first female prime minister in a Muslim-majority country as well as Pakistan’s second nationally elected prime minister, is shot at and then fatally attacked by a suicide bomber at a political rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

— Feb. 14, 2005: Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri is killed by a suicide truck bomb on a seaside boulevard in Beirut. Another 21 people die and 226 are wounded in the attack, which is seen by many in Lebanon as the work of neighboring Syria.

— March 12, 2003: Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic is shot dead in front of the Serbian government headquarters in Belgrade. He was a key leader of the revolt that toppled former President Slobodan Milosevic in October 2000. Twelve people are later convicted in connection with the killing, which was carried out to halt his pro-Western reforms, according to a Serbian court ruling.

— July 2, 2002: French President Jacques Chirac survives an assassination attempt by a far-right right supporter who shoots at him and misses during Bastille Day celebrations on Paris' Champs-Elysees. Chirac is uninjured.

— May 6, 2002: Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn is gunned down in a northern Netherlands city, days before a general election in which he was a candidate, by an animal rights activist.

— June 1, 2001: Nepal’s King Birendra is killed when his son, Crown Prince Dipendra, opens fire on his family in the royal palace. The dead include Queen Aiswarya, a prince and five others. Officials said the shooting followed a dispute over the prince’s marriage.

— Jan. 18, 2001: Congo President Laurent Kabila is assassinated in the presidential palace in the capital, Kinshasa, by one of his bodyguards, who is killed minutes later by security forces.

FILE - Supporters of Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez gather in Plaza de Mayo square the day after a person pointed a gun at her outside her home in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File)

FILE - A police investigator works in a van at the scene where a person pointed a gun at Argentina's Vice President Cristina Fernandez outside her home in the Recoleta neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Sept. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)

FILE - People pray at a makeshift memorial at the scene where former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot during an election campaign in Nara, western Japan on July 8, 2022. Abe was assassinated by a gunman who opened fire on him as he delivered a campaign speech on a street. (Kyodo News via AP, File)

Rescue workers wheel Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who was shot and injured, to a hospital in the town of Banska Bystrica, central Slovakia, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. (Jan Kroslak/TASR via AP)

Police arrest a man after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot and injured following the cabinet's away-from-home session in the town of Handlova, Slovakia, Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Fico is in life-threatening condition after being wounded in a shooting Wednesday afternoon, according to his Facebook profile. (Radovan Stoklasa/TASR via AP)

FILE - Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico speaks during a press conference with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the Carmelite Monastery in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. Slovakia's populist Prime Minister Robert Fico was wounded in a shooting Wednesday May 15, 2024 and taken to hospital. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos, File)