Bayer 04 Leverkusen took a significant step towards the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals with a professional 2-0 away win over Olympiacos Piraeus at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium on February 19, 2026. Two away goals and a clean sheet provided the perfect platform for the German side ahead of the second leg at the BayArena. Leverkusen managed the hostile Greek atmosphere expertly, controlling the tempo of the game and striking with clinical efficiency. They scored a crucial goal in the first half to settle any nerves, then sealed the victory with a second late in the game as Olympiacos pushed forward in search of an equalizer. The Leverkusen defense was rarely troubled, dealing comfortably with the home side's attacks. This commanding away performance puts Leverkusen in a dominant position in the tie, requiring only a disciplined display at home to progress. For Olympiacos, the defeat leaves them with a monumental task of overturning a two-goal deficit away from home against one of Europe's in-form teams.