Bayer Leverkusen qualified for the Champions League round of 16 with a 0:0 draw against Olympiakos Piraeus. The goalless result in the second leg was enough thanks to the 2:0 win in the first leg. They will face either FC Bayern München or FC Arsenal in the next round.
In the Champions League playoff second leg, Bayer Leverkusen drew 0:0 with Olympiakos Piraeus. Coach Kasper Hjulmand's team advanced to the round of 16, building on their 2:0 first-leg win in Greece. They will play the winner of FC Bayern München versus FC Arsenal in the round of 16, with the draw set for Friday.
After a 0:1 loss to Union Berlin, Hjulmand fielded his starting lineup again. Jonas Hofmann replaced Ernest Poku on the right wing. Before the match, Hofmann told Amazon Prime: "We must not give the opponent a chance to believe they can come back. It's about being there, being there, being there."
Patrik Schick created early threats: In the 4th minute, his header from a corner variation narrowly missed the post, and two minutes later, a lob over goalkeeper Kostas Tzolakis failed. Olympiakos, spurred by 2,000 traveling fans who whistled during Bayer's possession, pressed high. In the 28th minute, Gelson Martins mishit the ball after an error by Aleix Garcia.
Leverkusen focused on defense and avoided risks. The first half was chance-poor. After the break, Martins tested keeper Janis Blaswich with a diagonal shot in the 50th minute, which he saved confidently. Hjulmand substituted injured Ibrahim Maza with Poku. Alejandro Grimaldo hit the crossbar in the 62nd minute, and Robert Andrich's header struck the frame in the 76th.
The home defense remained solid, blocking all approaches. In the sold-out stadium with 30,210 spectators, fans celebrated the qualification. Captain Robert Andrich criticized on Amazon Prime: "It was like a parade today. Luckily, the opponent didn't punish us." Jonas Hofmann added: "It wasn't a sweet game from us."
