If you want a first leg with real edge, Piraeus delivers it. The Karaiskakis can be suffocating for visitors, and Olympiacos have enough quality and personality to make this a fight. But Leverkusen come in looking like a team built to punish emotion: clean structure, pace in wide areas, and multiple goal threats. The funniest part of this tie is that it’s not ancient history — these clubs played recently, and Olympiacos beat Leverkusen 2–0 earlier in this competition. That result guarantees Leverkusen will take this personally. It also guarantees Olympiacos will believe they can do it again.
Betting Lines: Leverkusen favored (Line listed: OLY +150) | O/U: 2.5
Resume Check
Olympiacos
• Last Five (All Competitions):
• D vs Levadiakos (0–0)
• L vs Panathinaikos (0–1)
• W vs Asteras Tripoli (3–0)
• D vs AEK Athens (1–1)
• W vs Ajax (2–1, UCL)
Form is mixed, but the Ajax away win is a real statement — they can rise to the stage.
Bayer Leverkusen
• Last Five (All Competitions):
• W vs St. Pauli (4–0)
• D vs Borussia Mönchengladbach (1–1)
• W vs St. Pauli (3–0, Cup)
• W vs Eintracht Frankfurt (3–1)
• W vs Villarreal (3–0, UCL)
Leverkusen are in strong shape and scoring consistently.
Last Head-to-Head
• Olympiacos 2–0 Bayer Leverkusen (Jan 20, 2026, UCL)
(Also previous meetings in 2002 were high-scoring.) The recent 2–0 is the one that matters mentally.
Players to Watch
Olympiacos
• Gelson Martins (3 UCL goals) — Their leading UCL scorer; he provides the burst and direct threat.
• Ayoub El Kaabi (2 UCL goals, 1 assist) — Reliable box presence; if Olympiacos get service, he can finish.
• Chiquinho (2 assists) — Their top creator in the UCL numbers; he has to connect midfield to attack.
Bayer Leverkusen
• Alejandro Grimaldo (4 UCL goals, 1 assist) — Massive production; he changes matches from wide areas.
• Aleix García (2 UCL goals) — Midfield engine who can control tempo and arrive late.
• Malik Tillman (2 UCL goals) — Another scoring midfielder; Leverkusen’s secondary threats are a problem.
How Olympiacos Win
• Make it emotional and loud: press in spells, win duels, and turn it into a street fight for 90 minutes.
• Get runners around El Kaabi — Olympiacos need bodies in the box, not isolated attacks.
• Protect central spaces against Leverkusen’s midfield arrivals; don’t let Grimaldo and the late runners pick their spots.
How Bayer Leverkusen Win
• Stay calm early and don’t feed the stadium. The first 25 minutes are about control.
• Create overloads to free Grimaldo — his delivery and finishing are game-breaking.
• Punish transitions with ruthlessness. Olympiacos will commit numbers at home; Leverkusen have to be clinical when the openings appear.
Prediction: Olympiacos will have a real push at home and the crowd will make this uncomfortable, but Leverkusen’s form and depth of goal threats feel like the safer bet across a two-leg tie. I see Leverkusen getting an away result — not perfect, but valuable.
Bayer Leverkusen 2, Olympiacos 1.
Check out all EasySportz Soccer Content Here
View the Champions League Standings Here
