Bayer 04 Leverkusen secured a 2‑0 victory over Olympiacos in the second leg of the Champions League playoffs to the round of 16, with both goals coming from Patrik Schick in the 60th and 63rd minutes.
The match began at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium with Olympic’s home side looking decisive. Early on the Greek club applied pressure, and Mehdi Taremi and Gelson Martins each managed a clear shot, but their attempts either missed their target or were saved by Leverkusen’s goalkeeper, Janis Blasiw.
As the game progressed, Leverkusen found their rhythm. Schick tested Konstantinos Tzolakis early but was denied by a defender and a goal. Ibrahim Maza later struck the post from a pass, and Ernest Poku had a major chance that went unconverted.
Just before the break, a seemingly decisive moment was overturned. With a corner kick, Taremi seemed to score, but a VAR check eliminated the goal for an off‑side offence, leaving the score unchanged at goalless.
After the break, Olympiacos remained the more active side, but Leverkusen applied a clinical counter‑attack strategy. In the 60th minute, Schick finished a quick counter‑attack with a precise shot to give Leverkusen the lead. Three minutes later he increased the advantage: a corner from Alex Grimaldo set the ball up, and Schick headed the ball across the net for a 2‑0 win.
The two goals had a clear impact. Olympiacos appeared unsettled, while Leverkusen controlled the tempo and remained alert for additional counter‑attacks. Rodinei attempted a free‑kick and André Luiz put a long‑range shot in the air, but decisive chances for an equaliser never materialized. In a close moment, Schick narrowly missed his third goal in the dying minutes.
During the final stages, both coaches made multiple changes, but the scoreline stayed the same. With this result, Leverkusen takes an excellent position into the return leg and keeps its path to the round of 16 firmly intact.
