OFI – Leverkusen: European challenge in Heraklion

OFI welcomes Leverkusen to "Theodoros Vardinogiannis" seeking to overcome the German team.

A big European night awaits OFI on Thursday, October 22, 2026 (19:45), as they host Leverkusen at the "Theodoros Vardinogiannis" stadium as part of the 3rd matchday of the Europa League League Phase. The Cretan team is called to face a strong opponent in a match with a high degree of difficulty.

The situation of the two teams

OFI is in 18th place in the standings with 3 points after two games. In the premiere of the competition, they achieved a great home victory with 2-0 against Hoffenheim, while on the 2nd matchday they were defeated 2-1 away by Rennes. In their domestic obligations, they are coming off a 4-3 defeat to Kalamata in the Stoiximan Super League, having previously lost to Rennes and AEK (3-0).

On the other hand, Leverkusen is having an excellent run in Europe. They are in 2nd place with 6 points and a goal difference of 6-0, having beaten Celje 2-0 at home and Lech Poznan 0-4 away. At the same time, the Germans maintain an impressive winning streak in all competitions, coming off their 2-1 victory over Freiburg and a 3-4 win over Mainz in the Bundesliga.

The keys to the match

The two teams have not met before in an official competition. Leverkusen has not yet conceded a goal in the Europa League League Phase, showing excellent defensive stability. For OFI, maintaining defensive cohesion at home will be the primary goal, aiming to capitalize on their opportunities and claim a positive result.