Germany Leverkusen players are unconvinced after losing to Jose Mourinho's Roma in the Europa League semi-finals.
"Playing like that and getting deep, to the semi-finals, is nothing to be proud of. It's a bitter defeat. Of course that's football. But we have to congratulate the opponent. He achieved his goal in a deplorable way," midfielder Kerem Demirbay told German TV channel RTL .
Mourinho directs Roma in 0-0 draw at Leverkusen. Photo: AFP
After losing the first leg 1-0 in Italy, Leverkusen dominated AS Roma in the second leg but failed to score. Demirbay was the German side's best player. But his performance was not enough to end a 21-year absence from a European Cup final. They last did so when they lost to Real Madrid in the 2002 Champions League final.
Roma played a tight, Mourinho-style game in both games, with Lorenzo Pellegrini scoring to seal their place in the final. Roma will face Spanish club Sevilla, the most successful team in Europa League history with six titles.
Attacking midfielder Nadiem Amiri was also disappointed to lose to Roma. He said: "I am so disappointed. We did not deserve to be eliminated by a team that does not know how to play football. I wonder how we could lose after what they showed today and last week. That is not football. A team that plays like that to reach the final is crazy."
Sharing his views with the players, Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said: "After every shot on goal, a player from their side was lying on the pitch and had to be carried off on a stretcher because he was in so much pain. I think everyone in the stadium today wished him good luck in the final against Sevilla. It's sad that this kind of play leads to success."
Roma will play the Europa League final against Sevilla on the evening of May 31 at the Puskas Arena in Hungary. Last season, Mourinho and his students beat Feyenoord 1-0 in the Conference League final - the first European Cup in Roma's history. If they win the Europa League this season, Mourinho and his students will have an additional ticket to the Champions League.
Vinh San (according to Mundo Deportivo )
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