Olympiacos will host Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League playoffs, aiming to secure a substantial advantage heading into the second leg.
Olympiacos are coming into this game vs Bayer Leverkusen on the back of just one win in their last four matches across all competitions, and they will need to raise their performance here.
On the other hand, the German outfit is in spectacular form. Leverkusen have picked up five wins and a draw from the last six matches in all competitions. They will certainly fancy their chances here. It remains to be seen whether they can grind out a positive result in the first leg and give themselves a good chance of sealing the tie at home.
Olympiacos have done well against Leverkusen in the past, and it remains to be seen whether they can get the job done at home.
Team News & Tactics
Olympiacos
The home team has no major injury problems setting into this game, and they should be able to field a full-strength lineup.
They are likely to shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Konstantinos Tzolakis in goal.
Costinha and Francisco Ortega will start as the full-backs, looking to keep things tight defensively and hit the opposition on the break.
Panagiotis Retsos and Giulian Biancone will start as central defenders.
In the midfield pivot, Santiago Hezze will start alongside Christos Mouzakitis. They will look to win the ball back for their team and help control the game.
Rodinei and Gelson Martins will start on the flanks. They will look to add pace and flair to the side. Mehdi Taremi will add creativity and goals from the number ten role. Ayoub El Kaabi will lead the line for the home team.
Probable Lineup (4-3-2-1): Tzolakis; Costinha, Retsos, Biancone, Ortega; Hezze, Mouzakitis; Rodinei, Taremi, Martins; Kaabi
Bayer Leverkusen
The away team will be without Eliesse Ben Seghir and Nathan Tella due to injuries.
Bayer Leverkusen will shape up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Janis Blaswich in goal. In the back three, Jarell Quansah will start alongside Loic Bade and Edmond Tapsoba.
Lucas Vázquez and Alejandro Grimaldo will start as the wing-backs. They will help out defensively and look to hit Olympiacos on the break.
As for the midfield unit, Aleix Garcia and Exequiel Palacios will pair up in the middle of the park. They will add control and composure to the side. Malik Tillman and Ibrahim Maza will start as the attacking midfielders. They will look to create opportunities in the final third with flair, vision and technique. They could drift out as the wide players as well.
Patrik Schick will lead the Bayer Leverkusen attack here.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Blaswich; Quansah, Bade, Tapsoba; Vazquez, Garcia, Palacios, Grimaldo; Maza, Tillman; Schick
Key Stats
- Olympiacos have won two of the last three matches against Bayer Leverkusen.
- Bayer Leverkusen have picked up five wins and a draw from the last six matches in all competitions.
- Olympiacos have failed to win three of the last six matches in all competitions.
- 12 goals have been scored in the last three matches between these two teams.
Player to Watch
Alejandro Grimaldo
The Leverkusen wing-back is our key player to watch for. He is in fantastic form right now, and he will look to impact the game at both ends of the pitch. He will look to protect the back three and help out going forward. He has created multiple opportunities for his teammates during transitions, and he could play a key role here.
Grimaldo could cause all sorts of problems for the whole team with his pace, flair, and creativity.
Prediction
Olympiacos 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Both teams will be desperate for a positive result here, and this is likely to be a close contest. Neither team will want to end up with a disadvantage after the first leg. They are likely to proceed cautiously and could end up cancelling each other out. Neither team is defensive in their approach, and there are likely to be chances here. Both sides will get on the score sheet, but they are likely to share the spoils in a draw.