Bayer Leverkusen hosts Olympiacos in the second leg of the knockout-phase play-off at the BayArena, with the aggregate winner advancing to the last-16. The match starts at 21:00 CET, and Leverkusen lead 2-0 from the first leg in Piraeus.
Despite the comfortable first-leg victory, the tie remains competitive. Leverkusen manager Kasper Hjulmand acknowledged the job is not done and that the opponent possess notable qualities. A domestic setback for Leverkusen followed, as they lost 1-0 to 1. FC Union Berlin after a heavily rotated lineup.
Olympiacos recently won 2-0 against Panetolikos in domestic play, with goals from Lorenzo Pirola and Yusuf Yazici keeping them within two points of the league leaders. They also previously beat Leverkusen 2-0 in the league phase in January, adding to confidence ahead of the return fixture.
There is historical motivation for Olympiacos to reach the last eight of Europe’s premier competition, as only a handful of Greek clubs have achieved this stage. A victory would mark a significant achievement for the club in European competition.
Team news indicates Leverkusen will be without Mark Flekken (knee) and Loic Badé (hamstring), with additional doubts over Nathan Tella (foot), Eliesse Ben Seghir, and Malik Tillman (both ankles) for the match. Olympiacos have fewer injury concerns, with Theofanis Bakoulas and Konstantinos Angelakis (ACL injuries) unlikely to travel to Germany.
Predicted lineups for Bayer Leverkusen vs. Olympiacos are provided, alongside an option to view the full lineup predictions.
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