Bayer Leverkusen, unbeaten and with a foot in the Europa League final, face Roma on Thursday to wrap up their semifinal clash.
This marks the second consecutive season these clubs meet in the semifinals, but Leverkusen's 2-0 victory in the first leg makes them the favorites to reverse last year's outcome.
Not only seeking revenge for their loss to Roma last year, Leverkusen also took a significant step toward reaching the final, where they could meet Marseille or Atalanta BC.
Despite a scare when Romelu Lukaku hit the crossbar, Leverkusen created several chances and sealed their victory with goals from Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich in the intimidating Stadio Olimpico.
With their ninth win in 11 Europa League games this season, the Bundesliga champions-elect are now just 90 minutes away from securing a spot in the final in Dublin later this month.
Leverkusen, already crowned German champions well ahead of schedule, have been securing their undefeated streak with late goals.
Their 5-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt extended this run to 48 games.
Matching Benfica's European record, set between December 1963 and February 1965, Leverkusen is now eyeing a historic moment by keeping Roma at bay.
The team is also set for the DFB-Pokal final in Berlin, facing second-tier strugglers Kaiserslautern.
Completing an entire Bundesliga season without a loss would be the ultimate achievement.
Coach Xabi Alonso's decision to stay for another year adds to the team's stability.
Leverkusen, UEFA Cup winners in 1988 and Champions League runners-up in 2002, are poised to make their first Europa League final appearance.
Roma, despite a rare home loss in UEFA competitions, still harbor hopes for a third consecutive European final, but the future looks grim for the Eternal City side.
Under Jose Mourinho, Roma secured a 1-0 aggregate victory over Leverkusen in last year's Europa League semi-finals before falling to Sevilla in the final.
Just a year prior, they had claimed the inaugural Europa Conference League trophy.
Current coach Daniele De Rossi, aiming to replicate Mourinho's European success, led the team to a quarter-final win over AC Milan and has seen only four losses in 22 matches since taking over from Mourinho mid-season.
Despite a strong start under De Rossi, Roma's recent form has seen them score an average of one goal per game in their last 11 matches, sliding to sixth place in Serie A, level on points with fifth-placed Atalanta, who have a game in hand.
Similar to Xabi Alonso, De Rossi has committed to continuing his tenure into the next season.
However, a 1-1 draw against Juventus, despite initially taking the lead through Lukaku, casts doubt on their chances of securing a top-five finish.
While Roma could still qualify for the Champions League through a Europa League victory, they face an uphill battle to achieve a remarkable comeback and become just the third team to reach consecutive finals in Europe's secondary tournament.
Xabi Alonso made significant changes to his squad against Frankfurt, with eight new players starting compared to the team that played in Italy.
However, for the second leg, he is expected to field a more familiar lineup to lead Leverkusen to victory.
The other encounter between Atalanta and Marseille hangs in the balance as they face off in Bergamo, with a spot in the final at stake.
Atalanta are on the brink of their first European final, while Marseille are determined to advance and grace the Dublin lights.
The first leg at Stade Velodrome ended in a draw, with Atalanta unable to hold onto Gianluca Scamacca's early lead.
Chancel Mbemba equalized for OM with a stunning long-range strike, his fourth Europa League goal of the season, the most by any defender in UEFA's club competitions this season.
Despite Aleksei Miranchuk coming close to securing a late winner, the match ended level, setting the stage for a high-pressure encounter at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.
Having extended their unbeaten away run in Europe to 11 matches, including a recent 3-0 victory at Anfield, Atalanta are back on their home turf, where they have won 11 of their last 14 matches.
Throughout their history in the Europa League and its predecessor, the UEFA Cup, the Nerazzurri have lost just two of 17 home games, winning 10 and keeping eight clean sheets.
Under Gian Piero Gasperini's leadership, Atalanta are thriving in Europe and has also secured a spot in this year's Coppa Italia final, where they will meet Juventus in Rome later this month.
They are also in contention for Champions League qualification through Serie A, currently sitting fifth with four games remaining.
Atalanta are enjoying a golden era under Gasperini, but winning the Europa League would elevate his status to an all-time great in Bergamo.
While Atalanta have never made it to a continental final, Marseille have a rich tradition in that respect, having been crowned champions of Europe in 1993.
Marseille, however, have struggled away from home, winning just one of six away games in Europe this season and earning a dismal 11 points on the road in Ligue 1, the joint-worst tally in the French top flight.
Despite their away woes, Marseille remain in the hunt for European qualification, lying five points behind sixth-placed Lens with one game in hand.
