Jonas Hofmann scored twice to lead Bayer Leverkusen to a 2-0 away win at OFI Kreta in the Europa League. The veteran found the net in the 35th and 38th minutes, securing a third consecutive victory in the group stage for coach Carles Martínez's side.

The win in Heraklion did not come easily despite Leverkusen's clear dominance. OFI Kreta had won nine of their first eleven European home games and again proved a tough nut to crack. Goalkeeper Lilo kept his team in the contest with twelve saves, a Europa League record since August 2020. Bayer Leverkusen took 33 shots with 15 on target, racking up an expected goals figure of 3.1. The Greeks' only clear chances were denied by two sharp stops from stand-in keeper Janis Blaswich, who replaced the suspended Mark Flekken.

The Decisive Three-Minute Burst

The breakthrough came in the 35th minute. Following a rebound, the ball fell to Jonas Hofmann, who fired from about 23 metres. Lilo could only parry the shot into his own net. Just three minutes later, Hofmann, who had only been added to the Europa League squad days earlier due to Martin Terrier's long-term injury, made it 2-0. He shot from outside the box again, this time seeing his effort bounce off Lilo's hand onto the crossbar and over the line. "You have to be wide awake and have patience," sporting director Simon Rolfes had warned before the match, Hofmann demonstrated both.

In the second half, the 34-year-old came close to a hat-trick when he was denied from close range by the Greek keeper in the 50th minute. He was substituted for Edmond Tapsoba in the 63rd minute. Leverkusen saw out the game comfortably from there, keeping a third clean sheet in the group phase. With nine points and a goal difference of 8-0, Bayer Leverkusen now lead the group convincingly.

The success in Crete is Leverkusen's sixth consecutive competitive win. In the Bundesliga, the team sits fourth with 13 points after six matchdays, just one point behind leaders Bayern Munich. The current winning run, visible in the standings, also includes a 4-3 victory at Mainz and a 2-1 home win over SC Freiburg. The season's top scorer so far is Patrik Schick with six goals. Their recent form was highlighted by a 4-3 win at Mainz and a 2-1 home victory over Freiburg.

The next test is an away fixture at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim this coming Saturday. Hoffenheim currently occupy 14th place. Leverkusen were without midfielder Robert Andrich for the match in Crete after he became a father for the third time on Thursday morning.

Further reading: Die Welt Sport

The team landed in Cologne at 2:39 a.m. on Friday morning after the win in Crete. Despite a sixth consecutive competitive win and a perfect Champions League record, sporting director Simon Rolfes offered criticism. "How we played the game in the last 35 minutes, I didn't like that at all," Rolfes said. The manager complained about a lack of dominance and impatience. Coach Carles Martínez, however, expressed satisfaction with the clean sheet and the victory. Leverkusen, currently fourth in the Bundesliga, now travels for an away match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

On Saturday, October 24, 2026, Jonas Hofmann commented on his brace against OFI Crete. "I can't do more than that. I was added to the squad, I flew with the team - and I did my job," Hofmann said. The matchwinner had only been added to the Champions League squad due to an injury to Martin Terrier. The Werkself has now won five competitive matches in a row.

On Saturday, October 24, 2026, Falko Götz commented on Jonas Hofmann's performance. The Bayer legend said, "Jonas showed courage twice and was rewarded for it." Götz gave his analysis of the match in Heraklion. Leverkusen continues its run and has now won five competitive games in a row.