In the Champions League Round of 16 on February 24, 2026, the second leg between Bayer and Olympiacos will take place. The visitors need a miracle in the form of a major victory.
The Germans under Xabi Alonso had the best season in their history—but that “golden double” happened in 2023/2024, and after that, they only managed second place in the Bundesliga. That summer, Ten Hag replaced the Spaniard, but he lasted only a couple of months. The current coach, Julmand, is now leading a difficult battle to return to the league’s top four.
However, they have already managed to reach the semifinals in the cup. The Greeks continue their collaboration with Mendilibar, which is not surprising: he immediately won the Conference League and then brought back the Super League title to the country. Now he’s trying to retain it amid tight competition from PAOK and AEK.
In the Champions League, the Leverkusen club secured their first wins only in November—winning away not only against Benfica but, sensationally, also against Manchester City. Before that, they had drawn with Copenhagen and PSV, and endured a painful 2-7 defeat to PSG. The last rounds were also unremarkable: just a home draw with Newcastle and a loss to Olympiacos. But a 3-0 win over Villarreal in the final match allowed them to advance to the playoffs.
The Piraeus team themselves no longer believed they would continue in the League. They started with a goalless draw at home against debutants Pafos, and gained only one more point in the next four rounds. But then they managed three wins in a row—against Kairat and Ajax away, and then against the Germans at home—securing a place in the playoffs. There, once again facing a familiar opponent, they conceded a double to Schick within four minutes after an hour of play.
Bayer vs Olympiacos: Key Statistics and Trends
Bayer have won two of their last four Champions League matches
The team averages 1.67 goals scored and 1.57 conceded per game
Olympiacos have beaten German opponents three times in a row at home
The club averages 1.25 goals scored and 1.75 conceded per game
Bayer vs Olympiacos: Possible Starting Lineups
Bayer (probable lineup): Blaswich – Tapsoba, Quansah, Andrich – Grimaldo, Poku, Maza, Aleix Garcia, Palacios, Vasquez – Schick
Olympiacos (probable lineup): Tzolakis – Ortega, Pirola, Retsos, Rodinei – Esse, Mouzakitis, Gelson Martins, Podence, Taremi – El Kaabi
Previous Matches: Bayer vs Olympiacos
Before this cycle, the clubs only met at the group stage in 2002, exchanging home wins.
