Tuesday 11th August – 18:30 BST
🇪🇺 Champions League Qualifier ⚽
NEC vs. Olympiakos
Goffertstadion is set for a huge night on Tuesday as Champions League preliminary‑round debutants NEC host Greek giants Olympiakos in the second leg of their third‑qualifying‑round tie.
With a place in the playoff against Union Saint‑Gilloise or Bodø/Glimt on the line, last week’s balanced first leg in Piraeus has left everything finely poised. Both sides arrive out of form, adding an extra layer of tension to a matchup that could easily turn nervy as the stakes rise but I think NEC can prevail on Tuesday evening writes Will Burns.
NEC Nijmegen
NEC have opened the season in unexpectedly subdued fashion. Their solid draw in Piraeus was a bright spot, but Saturday’s Eredivisie opener brought them back down to earth: a 2–1 home defeat to Telstar, a team that only narrowly avoided relegation last season.
Counting pre‑season, NEC are now winless in four, with three defeats in that stretch — and five losses in their last nine if you include tune‑up matches. More concerning is their sudden struggle in front of goal. Schreuder’s team have either failed to score or managed just once in each of their last four outings: a 1–0 loss to Elfsborg, the draw with Olympiacos, and 2–1 defeats to Sevilla and Telstar.
The hosts received good news ahead of the return match against Olympiakos Piraeus. Darko Nejasmic (Croatian CB) and Tobias Storm (Danish RB/CB) are fit enough to play. Bram Nuytinck (36-year-old CB) will take a seat on the bench, and Philippe Sandler (CB) also appears to be fit in time.
A question mark hung particularly over Nejasmic’s name after the first Eredivisie match of this season. The Croatian was substituted at half-time during the match against Telstar (1-2 defeat) due to discomfort. Coach Dick Schreuder announced on Monday at the press conference ahead of the Champions League third qualifying round match that Nejasmic has recovered. Nuytinck injured his ankle during pre-season and was already included in NEC’s European squad in the hope that he could get some playing time in the return leg. That is the case.
Olympiakos
Getting past Olympiakos will be anything but straightforward. Despite their poor pre‑season and a shaky start to 2026–27, the Greek side still possess plenty of quality — they’re simply not performing to their level at the moment.
Like NEC, José Luis Mendilibar’s team are winless in four, but their form is even more concerning. Olympiakos failed to score in three of those matches and arrive in Nijmegen after a run of games without victory against Ajax, Royal Antwerp, AZ Alkmaar and NEC. The 0–0 first leg only stopped a three‑match losing streak. A narrow 1–0 loss to Ajax was followed by heavy defeats to Antwerp (3–0) and AZ (3–2), with six goals conceded across those friendlies. Regardless of their unofficial status, entering European qualifiers without momentum is far from ideal for Mendilibar.
Ahead of the trip to the Netherlands, Mendilibar confirmed his squad — including the return of Santiago Hezze, who has recovered from injury. The Argentine midfielder will travel, but he is unlikely to start; his last appearance came on May 17 in a 1–1 draw with AEK Athens.
Italian centre‑back Lorenzo Pirola continues to attract interest from Serie A clubs, and it’s easy to see why. Since joining from Salernitana in July 2024, he has developed into arguably the league’s best defender. He came off the bench in the first leg and is expected to start on Tuesday.
Right‑back Manolis Saliakas, who returned to Olympiakos this summer after relegation with St. Pauli, struggled last week — losing three of four ground duels and four of six aerial duels. He could be a vulnerable point in the lineup.
The biggest threat remains 19‑year‑old Christos Mouzakitis, the league’s standout young talent. NEC struggled to contain him in Piraeus: he created the most chances (4), took the joint‑most shots (3), and completed the most passes on the pitch. Jamiro Monteiro will again be tasked with tracking him, but last week showed how difficult that assignment could be, committing three fouls on the youngster and fellow midfielder, 36-year-old Spaniard Dani Garcia.
Analysis
I tipped Both Teams to Score and an Olympiakos win last week, but the goals were nowhere to be seen despite a total of 24 shots, and 9 on target. The Greeks struggled to take control against an energetic NEC team, with Balsa Popovic producing several key saves (4) to keep the hosts level. NEC goalkeeper Gonzalo Crettaz was equally sharp (5 saves), denying efforts from David Carmo, Rodinei and Ayoub El Kaabi.
Olympiakos’ best early opening came in the 13th minute, when Crettaz pushed Carmo’s header from a Christos Mouzakitis corner around the post. El Kaabi also forced a strong stop before the interval. NEC did grow into the game after the half time break, threatening more consistently through Jamiro Monteiro, who twice tested Popovic from outside the box. Olympiakos, meanwhile, found it increasingly difficult to create clear chances.
After the match, José Luis Mendilibar acknowledged that his side had been surprised by NEC’s aggressive, front‑foot approach — a factor that now shapes the tension heading into the decisive second leg.
Prediction
Looking at recent form, both teams are struggling to find the net and NEC being at home here, I give them the slight advantage. I think we will see a 0-0, 1-1 or a 1-0 Nijmegen win. NEC with the Double Chance and Under 2.5 Goals is 2.26 at Paddy Power in a Bet Builder.
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