Why Bayer Leverkusen will advance against Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League
Having triumphed 2-0 in Piraeus in the first leg of their knockout stage play-off, Bayer Leverkusen have what it takes to finish the job against Greek champions Olympiacos and progress to the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
Recap Wednesday's first leg in Greece HERE
Big-game pedigree
Finishing 16th among the 36 teams in the league phase marked a decent achievement for a Leverkusen squad that spent much of the autumn gelling after a huge amount of player turnover last summer.
They gained some terrific results along the way too - most notably a 2-0 win at English Premier League giants Manchester City, a 1-0 victory at Benfica and a 2-2 draw against another Premier League outfit, Newcastle United. They were beaten 2-0 by Olympiacos on Matchday 7 but having exacted their revenge in the first leg of the teams' knockout round play-off tie, the Werkself have shown they are capable of going a gear higher in the competition than their opponents.
Top-class squad
Leverkusen are brimming with quality all over the pitch too, with Jarell Quansah, Robert Andrich and Edmond Tapsoba forming a first-class back three which earned a clean sheet in Piraeus.
The ever-dependable Alejandro Grimaldo has provided four goals and two assists already in this season's Champions League, including a trademark free-kick strike in a 2-2 draw in Copenhagen.
Experienced forward Patrik Schick - scorer of both Leverkusen's goals in the first leg - spearheads an exciting set of attacking options, including young talents such as playmaker Ibrahim Maza, winger Ernest Poku and striker Christian Kofane.
Watch: Grimaldo: Leverkusen's beating heart
With Leverkusen carrying a relatively light injury list ahead of the second leg, they have numerous players capable of making a decisive impact at either end of the pitch and plenty of options from the bench.
It will require a Trojan effort from Olympiacos to find a way back into the tie, especially as they are one of the oldest squads in the competition (with their starting XI averaging 29.7 years old in the 0-0 draw against Pafos on the opening matchday in September).
Home advantage when it matters
While Leverkusen only finished two places above their opponents in the final league phase standings, it was a significant gap.
Finishing just within the top eight play-off spots in 16th gave Leverkusen home advantage in the second leg, meaning they can be confident of finishing the job in front of their own fans at the BayArena on Tuesday.
Olympiacos' victory in the league phase suggests they are capable of mounting a comeback, but that result will only serve to sharpen Leverkusen's focus in the return game.
One-off defeat
The 17 chances Leverkusen fashioned in that 2-0 reverse would likely be enough for a win on most nights, but the eventual defeat gave Kasper Hjulmand and his youthful side vital knowledge of the threat posed by the Greek champions, and clearly sparked a few ideas on how to perform better.
The clear win in Greece last week proved the league stage setback was a mere aberration, and Hjulmand's charges now have their sights set on a huge tie against either Bayern Munich or Arsenal in the last 16.
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Leverkusen's role reversal
The Werkself are still in with a good chance of progressing from their round of 16 tie with Arsenal after the teams swapped specialities in the first leg.
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