Bayer Leverkusen's Rhine Derby encounter against Cologne ...
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UEFA Europa League semi-finalists Bayer Leverkusen will face Cologne in the rescheduled Rhine Derby on 5 May. - © IMAGO/Dennis Ewert/RHR-FOTO/IMAGO/RHR-Foto
UEFA Europa League semi-finalists Bayer Leverkusen will face Cologne in the rescheduled Rhine Derby on 5 May. - © IMAGO/Dennis Ewert/RHR-FOTO/IMAGO/RHR-Foto
Bayer Leverkusen’s Matchday 31 encounter against Cologne has been rescheduled to allow Xabi Alonso’s side longer time to prepare for their UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg against Roma.
Originally pencilled in for Sunday, 7 May (3.30pm CEST), the Rhine Derby will now take place at the BayArena on the evening of Friday, 5 May (8.30pm CEST). Bayer will travel to Italy to face Jose Mourinho’s Roma the following Thursday. The return leg of Bayer’s semi-final encounter is set for 18 May.
Watch: Leverkusen's win in Cologne on Matchday 14
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Goals from Moussa Diaby and Nadiem Amiri helped Leverkusen to a 2-1 win and the Derby bragging rights when they visited Cologne earlier this season.
Alonso’s men - currently sixth in the domestic standings - are pushing hard to achieve European qualification in the Bundesliga, while the Europa League also offers a route into the UEFA Champions League, should Die Werkself manage to lift the trophy, won by Eintracht Frankfurt last season, in Budapest at the end of May.
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