Will the Erythrolefkoi’s experience prevail?
NEC Nijmegen has never before reached the group stage or league phase of a European competition. The team from the province of Gelderland is set to play only its 18th international competitive match ever. And yet: Following last Tuesday’s scoreless draw against the experienced Erythrolefkoi, if Nijmegen beats Olympiacos Piraeus at home—as our prediction suggests—the surprise third-place finisher from the past Eredivisie season would suddenly find itself in the Champions League group stage playoffs, where it would face either Bodö/ Glimt or Union St. Gilloise, they might even have a chance to advance to the Champions League.
However, for the Nijmegen vs. Olympiacos Piraeus match, our prediction is that the top Greek club—which won the UEFA Conference League two years ago under current coach José Luis Mendilibar—will come out on top. In particular, the long list of injuries in the Dutch team’s defense is a major cause for concern. With veterans Bram Nuytinck, Perr Schuurs, and Yassin Moslih sidelined—of all times—just before this do-or-die match, we don’t expect the Erythrolefkoi to let so much slip away again; instead, they’ll likely pull off the win with their usual clinical efficiency.
In any case, Olympiacos Piraeus has made some notable signings this summer. Goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, David Carmo, and attacking players like Jota Silva should be able to make the difference, especially since the season hasn’t started yet in Greece and Coach José Luis Mendilibar used the training week intensively to improve the team’s clinical finishing in the final third following the lackluster 0–0 draw in the first leg at Karaiskakis Stadium. Meanwhile, NEC Nijmegen got off to a rough start in the Eredivisie with a disappointing 1-2 home loss to Telstar.
While we don’t expect a goal fest at the Goffert Stadium, we wouldn’t rule out extra time either. A home win for the Dutch side, however, would surprise us. As a result, there’s plenty of value to be found in the Match Combo featuring the Double Chance X2 with under 3.5 goals.
Nijmegen – Olympiacos Piraeus Head-to-Head Record
Head-to-Head: 0 – 1 – 0
Last Tuesday’s first leg in Greece was the first and only meeting between the two teams in a competitive international match to date. Thanks to the scoreless draw, the head-to-head record between the two clubs remains even.
Nijmegen – Olympiacos Piraeus Prediction
Even in the first leg, the top Greek club—known by the illustrious name Thrylos (meaning “Legend”)—was the better team, although the somewhat cautious Erythrolefkoi lacked clinical finishing in front of the opponent’s goal. However, the Greeks have spent an entire week working specifically on this, while for the Dutch side, the first match in the Eredivisie resulted in a sobering 1-2 home loss and, above all, extreme injury concerns. With Bram Nuytinck, Perr Schuurs, and Yassin Moslih all sidelined, three defensive players are out, leaving coach Dick Schreuder to cope with a personnel crisis in the backline.
On top of that, NEC Nijmegen is a club with virtually no international experience, and they now face a title-winning team. The Erythrolefkoi just won the Conference League in 2024 and have appeared in the Champions League group stages multiple times. Given this context, we expect the Greeks to clear this hurdle and advance to the playoffs.
