Key Takeaways:
- Bayer Leverkusen secured a place in the UEFA Champions League last 16 with a 0-0 draw against Olympiacos at the BayArena
- The German side extended their unbeaten streak against Greek opponents to five matches (W3, D2) in European competitions
- Bayer Leverkusen and Olympiacos had just one shot on goal each
Match Overview
Bayer Leverkusen delivered a resolute defensive performance, holding Olympiacos to a goalless stalemate at the BayArena, which coupled with their previous 2-0 victory in Greece, secured their advancement from the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off tie. The result also stretched Leverkusen’s unbeaten run against Greek clubs in European contests to five fixtures, comprising three wins and two draws.
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES! 🎶🖤❤️ pic.twitter.com/kO2D69CkxQ
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) February 24, 2026
First-Half Developments
Patrik Schick, who had scored twice in the first leg, nearly got his name on the scoresheet early on, glancing a header narrowly beyond Konstantinos Tzolakis’ far post within the opening five minutes. As Olympiacos gradually settled into the half, they asserted more control over possession but consistently struggled to break down a well-organised Leverkusen defence led by Kasper Hjulmand’s tactical discipline. Despite their endeavours, the visitors failed to muster a shot that tested Janis Blaswich before the interval, providing little for Jose Luis Mendilibar to take encouragement from at half-time.
Key Second-Half Moments
Motivated by Mendilibar’s guidance, Olympiacos commenced the second period with renewed purpose, earning their first effort on target just minutes after the restart. Gelson Martins unleashed a powerful shot, but Blaswich reacted swiftly, diving to his right to preserve Leverkusen’s clean sheet. The Portuguese winger continued to look lively, seeing another low attempt deflected wide just as Leverkusen’s Alex Grimaldo came close to breaking the deadlock by rattling the woodwork at the other end.
As the half wore on, Olympiacos’ hopes of overturning the aggregate deficit waned, particularly following Lorenzo Scipioni’s speculative long-range effort that missed the target in the closing stages. Leverkusen’s disciplined defensive approach restricted Olympiacos to limited openings throughout, ultimately ensuring a fifth clean sheet of their current European campaign.
What’s Next
Having secured their progression with a disciplined two-legged display, Bayer Leverkusen now await a last-16 encounter against either fellow Bundesliga side Bayern Munich or English league leaders Arsenal.
