Bayer Leverkusen vs. Olympiacos – News and Probable Lineups

Competing for a prized position in the Champions League’s round of 16, Bayer Leverkusen from Germany will host the Greek club Olympiacos at BayArena on Tuesday for the second leg of their knockout playoff.

Die Werkself have a 2-0 advantage from the first leg, although Thrylos will undoubtedly put forth their utmost effort to mount a comeback in the midweek clash.

Match overview

Kasper Hjulmand’s squad will be optimistic about advancing to the round of 16 after gaining an upper hand on the road, but they must remain cautious against a familiar and determined opponent.

Overall, Die Werkself are performing well, with six victories in their last eight matches across all competitions, although they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Union Berlin on Saturday, unable to respond to Rani Khedira’s first-half goal.

This loss has positioned Hjulmand’s team sixth in the Bundesliga, and it is uncertain whether they will secure qualification for next season’s Champions League.

While they are still in UEFA’s top competition this year, fans are hopeful that their team can replicate their 2024-25 performance, where Leverkusen reached the round of 16 but were ultimately defeated 5-0 on aggregate by rivals Bayern Munich.

With that objective in mind, supporters gathering at BayArena will be heartened by the knowledge that the hosts have won their last four home fixtures prior to this match, and notably, that Die Schwarzroten managed to keep clean sheets in each of those games.

On the other hand, Jose Luis Mendilibar’s Olympiacos had a rocky start to their league phase, losing two out of their first three matches in the Champions League, but they managed to reach the playoffs by finishing the round with three consecutive victories.

Significantly, that successful run included a 2-0 victory against Leverkusen on January 20, a result likely to provide Thrylos with hope of overcoming the two-goal deficit in this upcoming fixture.

Nevertheless, it’s fair to comment that the Greek Super League side has faced struggles in the month since, entering this match with only one victory from their last four games across all competitions.

Add to that, Mendilibar’s players have been unable to score in three of those matches, resulting in two losses and one draw, although they managed to refocus with a 2-0 win over Panetolikos on Saturday.

Supporters will be counting on Olympiacos to use their weekend triumph as a launching pad for continental performance, and given their unbeaten streak away from home since a 6-1 loss to Barcelona in late October—a run of 10 matches including seven wins—visitors can be forgiven for feeling somewhat optimistic.

Team News

Leverkusen will be missing goalkeeper Mark Flekken due to a knee injury, while center-back Loic Bade is nursing a hamstring issue, which means Janis Blaswich is expected to take his place in goal on Tuesday, supported by a defensive trio comprising Jarell Quansah, Robert Andrich, and Edmond Tapsoba.

Additionally, attacking midfielder Nathan Tella has a foot injury expected to keep him sidelined until next month, while left-winger Eliesse Ben Seghir is also anticipated to return from his ankle injury around the same time.

For now, Ibrahim Maza and Ernest Poku will likely be tasked with supporting striker Patrik Schick, with Lucas Vazquez and Alex Grimaldo providing width from wing-back positions.

On the Olympiacos side, they have a relatively fit squad to select from for midweek, although midfielder Theofanis Bakoulas remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from a ligament injury.

Given this context, Christos Mouzakitis and Santiago Hezze are likely to start in midfield for the visitors, forming a front four consisting of Mehdi Taremi, Gelson Martins, Daniel Podence, and Ayoub El Kaabi.

Bayer Leverkusen probable starting XI:

Blaswich; Quansah, Andrich, Tapsoba; Vazquez, Palacios, Garcia, Grimaldo; Maza, Poku; Schick

Olympiacos probable starting XI:

Tzolakis; Costinha, Retsos, Biancone, Ortega; Hezze, Mouzakitis; Martins, Taremi, Podence; El Kaabi

Despite their loss to Union at the weekend, Leverkusen’s overall form and solid home record imply they are positioned for success on Tuesday.

That said, Olympiacos have shown they can defeat Die Werkself this season, and their impressive away performances will make them a formidable opponent.