Olympiacos face NEC at home in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie at Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus on Tuesday evening.
The tie looks straightforward on paper for last season's runners-up in the Greek Super League as they take on a club with no recent experience of continental competition.
It's 17 years since the Nijmegen-based outfit last played in Europe and they have won only three competitive matches on foreign soil in their history.
Olympiacos, meanwhile, finished 18th in last season's UEFA Champions League league phase before going out to Bayer Leverkusen in the knockout phase play-offs.
Jose Luis Mendilibar's men won the Conference League in 2023/24 and still have several players who starred during that campaign, including striker Ayoub El Kaabi, attacker Georgios Masouras, midfielder Santiago Hezze and defender David Carmo.
But Thrylos have lost three pre-season friendlies in a row coming into this clash, which is both clubs' first competitive game of the campaign.
Olympiacos v NEC Tips Summary
Best Bet – Olympiacos to win & BTTS @ 9/4
Alternative Bet – Olympiacos to score in both halves @ 5/4
Bet Builder – BTTS 1st half, Total goals 2‑5 & Most corners: Olympiacos @ 6/1
Olympiacos v NEC Prediction
Best Bet: Olympiacos to win & BTTS @ 9/4
Olympiacos' imposing home record in Europe means they start Tuesday’s match as deserved favourites.
Mendilibar's side have won 11 of their 19 games in UEFA's three midweek competitions across the last three seasons, drawing four and losing only four.
One of those defeats was a 4-3 reverse to Real Madrid last season in a match which will live long in the memory for the way Olympiacos played against the 15-time European champions.
The Greek giants had 18 shots, three more than their illustrious opponents, and refused to go away when 3-1 down in the first half.
They may not be quite ready to raise their levels as high for this match, but Olympiacos rarely fail to create chances in front of their own supporters.
NEC are not the type of side to sit deep and absorb pressure either. They attack with numbers, particularly through their full‑backs, and their willingness to commit bodies forward often leaves them exposed.
But it also means they create chances - they have scored in every competitive match since November.
A home win feels likely, but NEC's attacking approach makes BTTS a strong angle.
Alternative Bet: Olympiacos to score in both halves @ 5/4
Olympiacos have developed a habit of fast starts in Piraeus.
They scored before the 20th minute in three of their last four home UEFA Champions League matches, including an eight-minute effort against Real and a second-minute strike against Leverkusen.
They can score in both halves against an NEC side that shipped goals either side of the break in their most recent friendly outing - a 2-1 defeat to Sevilla.
The Dutch side also conceded in both halves in a recent away friendly against Anderlecht, and it would be no surprise if it were to happen again on Tuesday.
Dick Schreuder encourages his team to take chances with a philosophy that seems to be along the lines of "attack is the best form of defence".
NEC conceded multiple goals in three of their last five competitive matches last season, including five at AZ, with opposition goals in both halves in all three.
Olympiacos v NEC Bet Builder Tip
- BTTS 1st half
- Total goals between 2‑5
- Most corners: Olympiacos
Pays 6/1
A lively first half feels plausible given NEC’s attacking bravery and Olympiacos’ tendency to start quickly.
NEC have scored first‑half goals in three of their last five competitive away matches, while Olympiacos’ home crowd often drives early momentum.
The 2‑5 goal band covers the most realistic outcomes: 2‑1, 3‑1, 2‑2 or even 3‑2 all fit the styles of these sides. NEC rarely keep clean sheets, but they almost always contribute to the scoring.
Meanwhile, Olympiacos should dominate the corner count. Their wide play, overlapping full‑backs and frequent cut‑backs generate high corner counts, while NEC’s defensive scrambling often leads to last‑ditch blocks.
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Key Match Stats
- Olympiacos have scored in 16 of their last 19 European home games
- NEC have scored in 14 consecutive competitive away matches
- NEC kept one clean sheet in 21 away matches in all competitions last season
- Olympiacos scored in the first half of three of their last four home European matches
- Olympiacos averaged 7.8 corners per home game last season
- Olympiacos have never lost a home European tie to a Dutch opponent (five wins, three draws).
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
