Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso says his team deserves all three titles available to them this season after they qualified for the Europa League final by overcoming AS Roma on Thursday.

Leverkusen, the Bundesliga champions who have also reached the May 25 German Cup final, played their 49th match without defeat in all competitions, surpassing Benfica's long-standing European record set from 1963 to 1965.

"We'll play two finals in a week as a result," Alonso said. "We showed great character today after their second goal. I looked my players in the eye afterwards and saw that they wanted more.

"We still have the chance to win three titles. And my boys deserve all three titles."

Leverkusen had a slice of luck as Roma defender Gianluca Mancini deflected the ball into his own net in the 82nd minute. Substitute Josip Stanisic then scored the equaliser to send Leverkusen into the record books and said it was among the biggest moments of his career.

"Definitely one of them. We knew what was at stake, we really wanted to get to the final and I think you could see that over 90 minutes today," said Croatia international Stanisic.

Reuters