olympiacos vs leverkusen: Champions League playoff first-leg preview (Feb. 18, 2026, 3 p.m. ET)
Olympiacos host Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of a two-legged Champions League playoff tie on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, kicking off at 3 p. m. ET. A tight group-phase finish has set up a high-stakes clash in Athens: both sides arrive on mixed domestic form but with clear recent momentum heading into the knockout playoff.
Form, recent meetings and what’s at stake
Olympiacos closed the league phase on a run of three straight wins, a late surge that helped lift them to 18th in the league phase standings and secured a shot at reaching the Champions League round of 16 for just the fourth time this century. Their confidence will be buoyed by a clean-sheet 2–0 win over Leverkusen earlier in the competition on Matchday 7, a result that demonstrated their ability to frustrate and punish the Bundesliga side on home turf.
Leverkusen finished one point ahead of Olympiacos in the table and also ended the group with positive momentum, winning three of their final five league-phase matches. Highlights included a 3–0 win over Villarreal late in the phase. The German side’s campaign has been a mix of resilience and inconsistency: they were defensively solid in several fixtures but suffered a notable heavy loss earlier in the phase that still casts a shadow over their attacking output.
With the tie finely poised, the first leg in Athens is vital. Olympiacos aim to take advantage of home comfort and recent results, while Leverkusen will be searching for an away goal that could swing the tie back in their favor ahead of the return leg in Germany next week.
Team news, likely XI notes and players to watch
Olympiacos enter the match largely healthy. Theofanis Bakoulas is the only injury of note for the hosts, who otherwise have a full complement to choose from and are unlikely to make wholesale changes given the significance of the fixture. Their attack has been led by familiar names who delivered key goals in the group phase; goalkeeper performances have been inconsistent at times but were influential in the earlier success against Leverkusen.
Bayer Leverkusen come into the tie with some selection questions in goal. Backup Janis Blaswich is expected to start in place of the injured first-choice keeper, which introduces a different dynamic behind a defense that has generally been dependable outside of a couple of high-scoring losses. The midfield will carry much of the creative burden, with young playmakers and experienced scorers both called upon to break down a compact Olympiacos back line.
Players to monitor: Olympiacos’ frontline, which finished efficiently in the group phase despite modest underlying metrics, and their goalkeeper, who produced a series of key saves in the first meeting. For Leverkusen, the creative midfielders and the central defenders will be central to whether they can craft and protect an away goal opportunity.
Tactical keys and a pragmatic prediction
Olympiacos are likely to lean into the home advantage and their recent form by maintaining defensive solidity and seeking to hit on transitions and set pieces—areas where they proved effective in the group stage. Mendilibar’s side know how to frustrate possession-oriented opponents and will aim to keep the tie tight going into the second leg.
Leverkusen, under Kasper Hjulmand, have shown a willingness to adjust and prioritize structure. Expect them to probe for openings with a mix of patient build-up and bursts through midfield; set-piece organization and the ability to limit quick counters will be essential to earning a positive away result.
Prediction: Given the home side’s recent winning run and their earlier victory over Leverkusen, this first leg looks set for a tight affair in Athens. A low-scoring draw or a narrow home win is the likeliest outcome, leaving the tie delicately poised for the return in Germany at the same time next Tuesday.
