OFI vs. Bayer Leverkusen preview: Team news & predicted lineups

Bayer Leverkusen travel to Crete to face OFI on Thursday evening in the 2026/27 Europa League, aiming to extend a five-game winning streak in all competitions. Leverkusen have gone unbeaten since an opening league defeat, recently edging Freiburg 2-1 to sit fourth in the Bundesliga, and now seek a third consecutive Europa League victory. OFI previously defeated German side Hoffenheim 2-0 in the tournament but have failed to win any of their subsequent four matches.

Leverkusen manager Carles Martínez is expected to rotate his squad, with Loïc Badé, Robert Andrich, and Malik Tillman potentially starting. The German side remains without several players, including Kennet Eichhorn, Guela Doué, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Montrell Culbreath, Martin Terrier, and Christian Kofane, though Jonas Hofmann is available as a squad replacement for Terrier. OFI will miss Nikolaos Christogeorgos, Nikolaos Marinakis, Christos Sielis, and Aaron Leya Iseka.