Europa League Clash: OFI Host In-Form Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen are set to travel to Crete for a Europa League encounter against OFI, aiming to extend their impressive five-game winning streak across all competitions. The German side enters the fixture as clear favourites, looking to maintain their perfect record in the competition.
OFI’s Challenge and Recent Form
OFI will be hoping to replicate their earlier surprise performance in this season’s competition, where they secured a 2-0 victory over fellow German club Hoffenheim. That result served as a warning to Leverkusen not to underestimate their opponents. However, since that memorable win, OFI have struggled to find consistency, failing to win any of their subsequent four matches. Three of these defeats occurred away from home, highlighting a potential vulnerability. This upcoming match presents a significant challenge against a formidable opponent.
Leverkusen’s Dominant Run Continues
Bayer Leverkusen have shown strong resilience and form since their initial 3-2 defeat to newly promoted Elversberg in their opening Bundesliga match. They have remained unbeaten across all competitions since that early season setback. Most recently, Die Werkself secured a narrow 2-1 victory against Freiburg at the weekend, a result that saw them climb to fourth in the Bundesliga standings. Their focus now shifts to the Europa League, where they will be eager to secure a third consecutive win in the group stage.
Team News and Absentees
Both teams face a number of absences for the upcoming fixture. OFI will be without goalkeeper Nikolaos Christogeorgos, defenders Nikolaos Marinakis and Christos Sielis, and forward Aaron Leya Iseka.
Bayer Leverkusen also have several players unavailable, including Kennet Eichhorn, Guéla Doué, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Montrell Culbreath, Martin Terrier, and Christian Kofane. However, there is positive news for Leverkusen as Jonas Hofmann is available for selection after being added to their Europa League squad.