UCL: Leverkusen cruise into last 16 after stalemate with Olympiakos

Bayer Leverkusen booked their place in the UEFA Champions League last 16 after a goalless second-leg draw against Olympiakos sealed a comfortable aggregate victory at the BayArena, Sport360NG reports.

Holding a 2-0 advantage from the first meeting in Greece, the Bundesliga outfit controlled proceedings throughout the return fixture but were unable to find the net. It proved inconsequential, however, as their first-leg cushion, courtesy of a brace from Patrik Schick, was enough to send them through.

Leverkusen, who will discover on Friday whether they face Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the next round, asserted their authority from the outset. Schick nearly extended the lead inside four minutes, steering a header narrowly wide after connecting with Alejandro Grimaldo’s inviting delivery.

The hosts continued to dictate the tempo, carving out the clearer openings. Schick squandered another promising chance when he attempted to lift the ball over advancing goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis, only to misjudge his effort.

Olympiakos, who had beaten the 2002 runners-up 2-0 at home during the league phase, threatened sporadically. Chiquinho came closest for the visitors but fired over from the edge of the area after a rare spell of pressure.

Grimaldo almost provided the breakthrough midway through the second half, surging into the box before rattling the crossbar with a powerful strike as the contest briefly sprang to life.

Despite drawing a blank for the second time against the Greek champions this season, Leverkusen’s earlier efficiency ensured safe passage. It marks only their second appearance in the Champions League last 16 since the 2016/17 campaign, underlining their continued progress on the European stage.

Attention now turns to Friday’s draw, where either the Premier League leaders or the reigning German champions await in what promises to be a heavyweight encounter.