Bayer Leverkusen manager Kasper Hjulmand admits his team’s performance wasn’t “good enough” in their 0-0 draw against Olympiacos, despite securing a spot in the Champions League Round of 16.
Bayer Leverkusen successfully reached the Champions League Round of 16 this week, but head coach Kasper Hjulmand was far from satisfied. Despite a 0-0 draw that secured a 2-0 aggregate win over Olympiacos, the manager felt his team lacked their usual spark.
While he was “delighted” to advance, Hjulmand made it clear that the level of play on the pitch didn’t meet his high expectations. The manager was particularly critical of how the game unfolded after the opening whistle.
He noted that from the 25th minute onward, the team allowed Olympiacos to gain too much confidence. According to Hjulmand, the Greek side began to sense they could cause trouble up front, which forced Leverkusen into a defensive game they hadn’t originally planned for.
“The game and our performance were not good enough,” Hjulmand confessed during his post-match interview. He admitted that while the team defended well when they had to, the goal was to control the game through possession rather than sitting back
🗣️ Honest words from the coach as we qualify for the next round of the Champions League. pic.twitter.com/RhaIF9L8s6
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) February 24, 2026
Looking ahead to the next round, the challenge only gets steeper for the German side. Leverkusen will face either Bayern Munich or the Premier League leaders, Arsenal. Hjulmand described both potential opponents as “two of the best teams in Europe,” acknowledging that his side will likely enter the next stage as the underdogs.
Despite the difficult draw ahead, the Leverkusen boss seems to be relishing the challenge. He pointed out that Arsenal has spent years building their current squad, while Bayern’s dominance in Germany speaks for itself. “They are two huge tasks, but we want to have a huge task,” he added, showing his hunger to test his players against the very best.
Goalkeeper Janis Blaswich also shared his thoughts on the game, arguing that in knockout football, the result is the only thing that truly counts. While he admitted that the performance wasn’t “great” to watch, he praised the team for the hard work they put in across both legs to ensure they moved forward in the competition.
Young defender Jarell Quansah echoed these feelings, showing plenty of respect for their Greek opponents. The English center-half noted that the match required exactly as much effort as they had anticipated. He praised Olympiacos for being a strong side that forced Leverkusen to compete for every ball, proving that no game at this level is ever easy.
