Bayer Leverkusen advanced to the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday, securing their place despite a 0-0 draw against Olympiakos Piraeus in the second leg of their playoff tie. Having won the first leg 2-0, Leverkusen progressed with an aggregate score of 2-0, according to reports from the German press agency, Deutschlandfunk.
The match saw Bayer 04 coach Kasper Hjulmand make five changes to the starting lineup following a 0-1 defeat to Union Berlin. Jarell Quansah replaced the injured Loïc Badé in central defense, while Lucas Vázquez took over from Arthur on the right flank. In midfield, Exequiel Palacios started in place of Ezequiel Fernández. Upfront, Jonas Hofmann made his first Champions League appearance this season, replacing Malik Tillman, and Patrik Schick, who scored twice in the first leg, started ahead of Christian Kofane.
Despite early pressure from Olympiakos, Leverkusen created several chances in the opening stages. Patrik Schick had two opportunities within the first six minutes, a header narrowly missing the post and a subsequent attempt to lob the visiting goalkeeper, Kostas Tzolakis, proving unsuccessful. The Greek side, spurred on by approximately 2,000 travelling fans, responded with a period of sustained pressure, punctuated by whistles directed at Leverkusen’s possession.
A defensive lapse from Leverkusen’s Aleix Garcia in the 28th minute nearly resulted in a goal for Olympiakos, but Gelson Martins failed to capitalize on the opportunity. Leverkusen’s defense remained a focal point throughout the first half, limiting Olympiakos’ attacking options and ensuring the game remained scoreless at the break.
The second half saw limited clear-cut chances. Gelson Martins tested Bayer goalkeeper Janis Blaswich with a long-range shot in the 50th minute, but Blaswich made a comfortable save. Hjulmand made a substitution shortly after the restart, replacing Ibrahim Maza with Ernest Poku after Maza sustained an injury.
Leverkusen came closest to breaking the deadlock when Alejandro Grimaldo hit the crossbar with a shot from a tight angle in the 62nd minute. Later in the match, Robert Andrich also headed a corner kick towards goal, but it did not trouble the Olympiakos goalkeeper. Leverkusen’s defense continued to hold firm, denying Olympiakos any significant openings.
With the victory secured, Bayer Leverkusen now await their round of 16 opponents. They will face either FC Bayern Munich or FC Arsenal, with those teams’ playoff tie still to be resolved.
