Tag: Granit Xhaka

Leverkusen sets record with unbeaten run, advances to Europa League final

Leverkusen’s ability to score stoppage-time goals to stay unbeaten is beyond belief

Leverkusen may have qualified for a European final on Thursday, but the celebrations may well have been about something no other UEFA club has ever done.

A 2-2 second-leg draw secured a 4-2 aggregate win over Roma in the Europa League semifinals, sending the Bundesliga champions to the tournament’s final.

However, in a more remarkable achievement, Leverkusen has now gone 49 straight competitive games without defeat, which is a record for any UEFA club since the advent of European continental competition. Benfica’s 48-game run spanning games played from 1963-65 was the previous gold standard.

Leverkusen’s last defeat came nearly a full year ago, with the club concluding its previous Bundesliga campaign with a 3-0 loss at Bochum on May 27, 2023.

Since then, Xabi Alonso’s side has gotten a win or draw in every single one of its 49 competitive fixtures across the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and the Europa League in the 2023-24 season.

Somehow, this run includes a staggering 17 goals in stoppage time, 12 of which changed losses into draws or draws into wins.

That included an equalizer against Roma. Despite seeing the Serie A side pushing to force extra time with one last goal, Leverkusen still pushed on in pursuit of history.

Seven minutes into second-half stoppage time, late substitute Josip Stanišić sprinted up the right flank. Granit Xhaka could have sent him to the corner to protect the lead, but the Swiss midfielder wanted that 49th game without a loss.

Xhaka’s pass guided Stanišić into the area, where he cut inside of the scrambling Roma defense before picking out the bottom corner, beating Mile Svilar and securing yet another dramatic late draw for Leverkusen.

In a post-match interview broadcast by CBS Sports Network, Xhaka said that Leverkusen took pride in pursuing the record rather than merely hanging on for a place in a continental final.

“Of course!” declared Xhaka when asked about pursuing a 49th game without a loss. “You see the desire from the team. Even after 2-1, in the 90 minutes, in extra time, we didn’t want to slow down the game. We wanted to score the second goal to be unbeaten [for] 49 games now, and we are proud about it.”

Leverkusen will face Atalanta on May 22 at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. That will be the club’s third-ever European final, and its first since the 2001-02 Champions League.

[lawrence-related id=58293,44357,29607]

Arsenal blew it and Granit Xhaka threw the whole team under the bus

The Gunners meekly lost to Newcastle on Monday, delivering a near-fatal blow to their Champions League hopes

In five days, Arsenal’s pursuit of a Champions League berth has gone from nearly there to nearly gone.

The Gunners have not qualified for Europe’s top club competition in five years but could’ve clinched a top-four place by beating rival Tottenham last week.

They lost 3-0.

With two games left, it was all still in their hands. But Monday’s game against Newcastle also went pear-shaped as Arsenal meekly lost 2-0 at St. James’ Park.

Now the Gunners need a miracle to avoid the Europa League, and their midfielder Granit Xhaka unloaded on his team after another awful performance with a ton at stake.

“I don’t know why we’re not doing what the coach is asking for us,” Xhaka told Sky Sports.

“If someone isn’t ready for this game, stay at home. It doesn’t matter your age. If you’re nervous, stay on the bench or stay at home. You need people to have the balls to come here and play. It’s one of the most important games for us. We’re feeling very disappointed for the people who came over here.

“We didn’t do what the game plan was, not listening to the coach. What happened was a disaster performance. You don’t deserve to play Champions League or even Europa League. It’s very hard to take it at the moment.

“It’s difficult to find the right words. From the first minute to the 90th we didn’t deserve to be on the pitch.”

Can Arsenal still reach the Champions League?

Arsenal sits in fifth place with 66 points, two back of Tottenham with just one game to go.

Spurs need just a point in their final game to lock up a Champions League spot and unfortunately for the Gunners, their rivals will be facing rock-bottom Norwich City on Sunday.

Arsenal must defeat Everton and hope Spurs lose at Carrow Road to qualify for its first Champions League in five years.

[lawrence-related id=1675,1534]