The first leg of the Europa League semi-final between Roma and Bayer was a classic for Mourinho's teams in crucial play-off encounters. The Italian team managed to take control of the game, which was not always convenient for the Romans. In the first half, the opponents combined to create one goal. Roma managed to score midway through the second half with a goal from Edoardo Bove, who turned 21 on Tuesday. In the final half-hour, Bayer didn't look like they were going to get back into the game, but towards the end, the Pharmacists got a little faster and got more aggressive. Despite a goal from Patriciu, the Leverkusen team failed to get back into the game. That said, a defeat by the narrowest of margins leaves the Germans with a good chance of reaching the final. Bookmakers' betting odds of 2.02 to win the home team's fixture and 2.44 to go through to the final.

At the end of April, Roma completely lost their playing form. Before the victory over the German club, the Roman club could not win for a fortnight, which turned into a series of four unsuccessful matches. Mourinho's side lost to Inter and Atalanta by two goals, they were held to a 1-1 draw by Milan and Monza. After their first meeting with the Pharmacists, Roma traveled to Bologna where they drew 0-0 with the club of the same name. The Romans are hopelessly behind the top 4 in Serie A, but will their excessive motivation for Thursday's Europa League help them?

The Leverkusen club also suffered a misfire in the last Bundesliga round. However, it was less painful for Bayer, as their chances of climbing into the top four had been slim before the draw with Stuttgart. The Pharmacists snapped a 14-match unbeaten streak against Cologne in early May, which best highlights their playing form, which is far from hopeless. In the current play-offs, Bayer have a history of bouncing back from defeats in the opening rounds. That's how the Pharmacists got past Monaco in the 1/16 finals.

In Rome, Bayer played roughly on equal terms with Mourinho's side. In the upcoming meeting, it is important for the Leverkusen side to score first to take Roma out of their comfort zone and prevent Jose from rolling out the defensive 'bus'.