Leverkusen vs Olympiacos: Bayer Advance to Champions League Last 16 With 2-0 Aggregate Win
Bayer Leverkusen are through to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. The German side completed a controlled two-legged playoff victory over Olympiacos, holding the Greek champions to a goalless second leg at the BayArena on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, to progress on a 2-0 aggregate.
Final Result — Second Leg: Leverkusen 0-0 Olympiacos
Tuesday's second leg at the BayArena was a disciplined, low-tempo affair. Leverkusen, comfortable with their two-goal cushion from the first leg in Piraeus, had little incentive to push forward aggressively. Olympiacos, who needed to score at least twice to force extra time, created moments but could never find the breakthrough against a compact German backline. The match ended goalless, confirming Leverkusen's passage to the Round of 16.
| Fixture | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Leg 1 – Olympiacos vs Leverkusen (Piraeus) | 0-2 Leverkusen | Feb 18, 2026 |
| Leg 2 – Leverkusen vs Olympiacos (BayArena) | 0-0 | Feb 24, 2026 |
| Aggregate | Leverkusen advance 2-0 |
Second Leg Match Stats
| Stat | Leverkusen | Olympiacos |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 46% | 54% |
| Shots Total | 6 | 6 |
| Shots on Target | 2 | 2 |
| Shots Saved | 1 | 2 |
| Corner Kicks | 4 | 5 |
| Yellow Cards | 0 | 1 |
First Leg Hero: Patrik Schick
The tie was effectively decided in the first leg in Piraeus on February 18, when striker Patrik Schick scored twice in the second half to hand Leverkusen a clean 2-0 win. Schick struck in the 60th and 63rd minute, capitalizing on Leverkusen's dominant spell to put the tie beyond doubt. Olympiacos had the better of possession in Greece but managed just one shot on target in the entire 90 minutes.
Leverkusen Lineup — Second Leg
Blaswich; Quansah, Andrich, Tapsoba; Vázquez, Palacios, García, Grimaldo; Hofmann, Maza; Schick.
Key absentees for Leverkusen included Malik Tillman, Mark Flekken, Loïc Badé, Eliesse Ben Seghir, and Nathan Tella — all ruled out through injury. Despite the lengthy injury list, Kasper Hjulmand's side managed the tie professionally across both legs without conceding a single goal.
Olympiacos Lineup — Second Leg
Tzolakis; Rodinei, Retsos, Pirola, Ortega; Mouzakitis, Hezze, García; Gelson Martins, Taremi, Chiquinho.
Olympiacos coach José Luis Mendilibar urged his side to be more courageous and attack-minded heading into the second leg, saying ahead of the match: "We need to have the courage to play our own game, to be aggressive and to win the ball at the right time." Despite the tactical intent, the Greek side could not conjure the two goals required on the night.
What's Next for Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen advance to the Champions League Round of 16, where they will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich. The German club finished 16th in the league phase with 12 points and head into the knockout rounds in decent form despite some Bundesliga inconsistency. Their next Round of 16 first-leg tie is scheduled for March.
