Bayer Leverkusen progress to UEFA Europa League semis: Key stats
Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen are well on course for a historic Treble after reaching the semi-finals of the 2023-24 UEFA Europa League. Xabi Alonso's men drew 1-1 against West Ham in the quarter-final second-leg clash in London. They had won 2-0 at home last week. Leverkusen won their maiden Bundesliga crown on Sunday with five matches to spare. They are in the DFB-Pokal final.
Leverkusen go 44 matches unbeaten this season, smash record
Leverkusen are unbeaten in 44 consecutive matches in all competitions (W38 D6). As per Opta, they have set a new record for a team in the big-five European leagues (the previous record holder was Juventus with 43 games from May 2011 to May 2012).
It has been a dream campaign for the German side
In addition to their 25 wins and four draws in the Bundesliga, Leverkusen have won five successive DFB-Pokal matches to reach the final. Leverkusen have won all six of their matches in the UEFA Europa League group stage. They drew and won one match in R16 before beating West Ham United 2-0 in the quarter-finals first-leg. And now, they drew 1-1 against the Hammers.
39th win for Leverkusen this season
As mentioned, Leverkusen have played 44 matches this season in all competitions. They have claimed 38 wins in addition to drawing six. They are the only side who are unbeaten in all competitions. Leverkusen have raced to 124 goals this season.
How did the second-leg clash pan out?
The Hammers faced a tall task of ending the German side's season-long unbeaten run coming into the contest. It was Michail Antonio's 13th-minute header which gave West Ham hope. The hosts needed another goal but despite a number of close chances, it never arrived. West Ham couldn't step up in the second half as Jeremie Frimpong's 89th-minute shot took a deflection off Aaron Cresswell.
Massive records attained in the match
Leverkusen have now reached successive semi-finals of a major European competition for the first time in their history (both Europa League). Antonio has now scored nine goals in European competitions (excluding qualifiers). This is now the joint-most of any player in West Ham's history - level with Jarrod Bowen. Frimpong's late goal was Leverkusen's ninth this season as a substitute in the Europa League.
Here are the match stats
West Ham made 14 attempts with six shots being on target. Leverkusen managed two shots on target from nine attempts. Leverkusen clocked 58% ball possession and an 85% pass accuracy from 549 passes.