Leverkusen Must Dampen Olympiacos Atmosphere Ahead Of Champions League Playoff

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Bayer Leverkusen head into the Champions League play-off first leg against Olympiacos knowing the atmosphere in Piraeus could shape the tie. Robert Andrich believes controlling the noise inside Stadio Georgios Karaiskaki will be vital if Leverkusen want a strong result to take into the return match in Germany.

The teams already met in the league phase on matchday seven, when Olympiacos claimed a 2-0 home win. Leverkusen conceded after only 92 seconds in that game and did not score despite generating 2.57 expected goals from 17 attempts, leaving the Bundesliga side frustrated by missed chances and a sharp Greek counterattack.

Past European visits to Greece underline the size of Leverkusen's task. Leverkusen have only one away victory against Greek opposition, a 4-1 success over Panathinaikos in October 1993. Since 2000, Leverkusen have travelled to Greece four times in UEFA competitions, drawing two and losing two, and failed to score in three of those encounters.

Leverkusen's broader Champions League knockout record is also challenging. Among clubs with at least 10 knockout games in the competition, Leverkusen have the lowest win rate, with just two victories in 19 matches, drawing four and losing 13. Yet Andrich thinks recent experience in Greece can help the squad adapt better this time.

We're now familiar with the atmosphere, which can be an advantage, said Andrich. It'll be another difficult game. We had some great chances in the league clash that we didn't capitalise on. That contributed to the course of the game. Of course, you can't blank out the atmosphere. As a player, you're in the tunnel and don't notice everything, but that, you do notice, of course. But starting the game better, coupled with our own quality and our own build-up play and getting the opener, we can dampen the atmosphere. That can make a big difference.

Performance since that defeat offers some encouragement for Leverkusen ahead of the first leg on 18 February 2026. Since losing 2-0 to Olympiacos in the league phase, Leverkusen are unbeaten in six matches in all competitions, winning five and drawing once, which suggests improved stability and sharper finishing in recent weeks.

We're hoping for a better start tomorrow than in last month's game, said Hjulmand. It was our last defeat to date. We're aiming for a top performance and are ready for the first of two important games.

Hjulmand also highlighted the threat posed by Olympiacos without softening praise for the opponent. [They have a] very good way of playing football. They play directly and press high to secure second balls. They're one of the top teams in the Champions League when it comes to winning possession high up the pitch.

The first leg in Piraeus now sets a demanding test for Leverkusen, who aim to overcome poor records in Greece and in Champions League knockouts. Recent form, tactical adjustments and a stronger start than in the league phase defeat will be central to their hopes of controlling Olympiacos and the tie.