Leverkusen - Olympiacos: Stalemate enough to earn Leverkusen - Olympiacos place in last 16

Bayer Leverkusen advanced to the Champions League last 16 after a scoreless second-leg draw at the BayArena in a tie against Olympiakos that finished 2-0 on aggregate. The result underlined the advantage built by Patrik Schick’s double in last week’s first leg and kept Leverkusen’s progress intact.

Leverkusen - Olympiacos match summary

Leading 2-0 from last week’s first leg, Leverkusen dominated at the BayArena but could not add to their aggregate cushion in a goalless second leg. The German side were below their best at times yet did just enough to qualify, securing the play-off tie 2-0 on aggregate. After easing to victory in Greece six days ago, Leverkusen picked up where they left off and took control from the first whistle.

Grimaldo and Schick moments

Alejandro Grimaldo supplied a number of dangerous moments and struck the crossbar midway through the second half with Konstantinos Tzolakis beaten, the team’s best chance of the match. Patrik Schick, the Czech forward who scored twice in three minutes in last week’s opening leg, was prominent early: inside four minutes he glanced a header wide after connecting with Grimaldo’s cross and dragged a lob over Tzolakis but past the far post inside six minutes. The Czech international also fluffed an attempt to lob the onrushing Tzolakis when presented with another opportunity shortly after.

Injuries and squad absences

Leverkusen faced fitness concerns around the tie. Loïc Badé and Malik Tillman both picked up injuries in Saturday’s 1–0 defeat at Union Berlin; Badé was a certainty to miss out and the French defender was poised for a month-long absence, while Tillman’s ankle issue left his status in doubt. Goalkeeper Mark Flekken was also unavailable for the hosts, and attackers Nathan Tella and Eliesse Ben Seghir were out. If the USMNT star isn’t fit to feature, veteran Jonas Hofmann could work his way into Kasper Hjulmand’s frontline, joining last week’s match-winner, Schick, and Ernest Poku. Right-back Lucas Vazquez limped off late in the second half, the only black mark for the hosts; Vazquez is a Champions League winner with Real Madrid.

Opponents, history and context

Leverkusen will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the Champions League last 16, with that draw set to take place on Friday. The 2024 German double winners will meet either the Premier League leaders or the reigning Bundesliga champions; Bayern Munich eliminated Leverkusen at the last-16 stage last season. This was the first time Leverkusen made it through a two-legged Champions League knockout tie since they reached the final in 2002, when they lost 2-1 to Real Madrid.

Olympiakos/Olympiacos attempts and background

Olympiakos (also referenced as Olympiacos) were rarely able to punish Leverkusen despite energetic spells. The Greek side had beaten the 2002 finalists 2-0 on home soil during the league phase and had rested six starters in their Greek Super League match on Saturday in an attempt to reach the Champions League last 16 for the first time since 2013–14, when they were narrowly eliminated by Manchester United. Historically the two clubs have met on four occasions in the UEFA Champions League, with both sides winning two games apiece; the German side’s only victory to date in Germany came in October 2002, 2-0. Olympiacos had not triumphed in a two-legged tie in this competition since the first round of the 1983–84 European Cup.

Reactions and raw assessment

Leverkusen captain Robert Andrich described the performance as sluggish: “The game didn't go at all like we'd imagined. Too sluggish -- really the only positive is that we kept a clean sheet and we're through to the next round. ” Andrich added: “We needed more speed, more bite, both against the ball and with it -- thankfully the opponent didn't punish us. ” Midfielder Jonas Hofmann echoed frustration, saying Kasper Hjulmand “will probably go home and drink a beer out of frustration to wash down that performance. There's nobody here who can be satisfied with that”.

Leverkusen had not conceded at home in any competition since early January and were rarely troubled by the energetic but toothless Greek champions. Olympiacos’ efficiency had proved key in their previous meeting with the Bundesliga side, but they were unable to make the most of the moments they created in the final third last week. Seeking to give his troops extra motivation, billionaire Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis — who also owns Nottingham Forest — promised an “unprecedented” financial bonus for reaching the last 16.

Patrik Schick’s double in Greece was decisive; his brace in the opening leg remains the defining sequence of the tie. After that early flurry in this second leg, Leverkusen were content to sit back as the match wore on, forcing the visitors to try to create something. Chiquinho nearly halved the deficit for Olympiakos when he blazed an effort over from the edge of the area during a rare spell on the front foot for his side. The tie finished with Leverkusen protecting their aggregate lead and securing progression.

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Leverkusen’s qualification marks a notable sequence: the last time Leverkusen qualified for the Champions League last 16 in back-to-back seasons was 2015, and this progress represents only the second time they have reached the last 16 since the 2016/17 season.

Closing: Bayer Leverkusen advanced after a goalless home draw to win the play-off tie 2-0 on aggregate, and will learn on Friday whether they will face Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the Champions League last 16.