• Home
  • Football
  • UEFA Champions League
timer

This preview has expired.

See all our latest betting tips or suggested betting sites

Olympiakos vs NEC Nijmegen Tips & Live Streams – Greeks to Build Advantage in the Champions League

vedran-ostojic
Editor
Last updated: Sun 02 Aug 2026 21:49
Olympiakos have retained the core of last season’s squad, positioning them as strong contenders to once again reach the UEFA Champions League group stage. In contrast, their Dutch opponents have struggled in recent friendlies, casting doubt on their form. The key recommendation is a home win for Olympiakos in Piraeus, based on their stability and superior preparations.
Vedran Ostojic 02 Aug 2026
Share this article
Or copy link
  • Olympiakos are tagged favorites against inexperienced NEC
  • We are backing them to create some advantage on Tuesday
  • Watch Olympiakos vs NEC Nijmegen live in the UCL Qualifiers
Expired
Olympiakos have won 3 of their last 5 UCL clashes (Getty Images)

Even though their domestic run was poor, Olympiakos did well in the UCL last season, even making it to the playoffs. I will back them to build advantage in the first leg against inexperienced NEC Nijmegen. 

Key Stats  


  • Olympiakos have won 3 of their last 5 matches (Champions League). 
  • Olympiakos beat NEC Nijmegen 2-0 in their last h2h. 
  • NEC Nijmegen have lost 4 of their last 6 matches. 

One Previous Meetings 


These two sides locked horns just once so far, a friendly clash in July 2024 won by Olympiakos 2-0. 

Previous Season Was Poor for the Piraeus Side 


Olympiakos battled for the Greece Super League 1 trophy with AEK Athens and ultimately lost, finishing second with a six-point deficit. 

They were also eliminated in the Greek Cup in the early stages by PAOK, so many were surprised to see Jose Luis Mendilibar still being the head manager. 

The Red and Whites opened their pre-season campaign with victories over Rakow 2-1 and Fortuna Sittard 3-1, but then registered three consecutive defeats against Ajax 1-0, Antwerp 3-0 and AZ Alkmaar 3-2. 

Historic Appearance for the Visitors 


NEC Nijmegen are coming off a great season in the Eredivisie where they finished 3rd behind PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord to secure their first ever appearance in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. 

Great efficiency was their strongest link, netting 77 goals in 34 league appearances, Brian Linssen being the top contributor with eleven goals and seven assists, followed by Tjarron Chery who had ten goals and six assists. 

They did well against underdogs in the pre-season, beating squads like Al Fayha 7-0, Nagasaki 3-1, bit were beaten in big tests against Anderlecht 3-2, Elversberg 1-0 and Sevilla 2-1. 

Team News & Predicted Lineups 



Olympiacos (4-2-3-1) Alexandros Paschalakis; Manolis Saliakas, Panagiotis Retsos, David Carmo, Francisco Ortega; Gustavo Sa, Santiago Hezze; Gelson Martins, Kostas Fortounis, Chiquinho; Ayoub El Kaabi

Olympiakos' midfielder Yusuf Yazici is out with a long-term injury, expected to be back around December. Their offense is full of proven veterans, Mehdi Taremi, Roman Yaremchuk and Ayoub El Kaabi.

NEC Nijmegen (4-3-3) Gonzalo Crettaz; Brayann Pereira, Philippe Sandler, Thomas Ouwejan, Bram Nuytinck; Darko Nejasmic, Kodai Sano, Jamiro Monteiro; Dusan Tadic, Tjaronn Chery, Kaj Sierhuis

Visitors have a lot of problems with injuries, Bram Nuytinck, Thomas Ouwejan, Philippe Sandler and Perr Schuurs all being ruled out. Veteran Dusan Tadic joined the club earlier this summer.

Verdict

Olympiakos kept the core of their last season’s roster and I expect them to reach the UCL group stage once again. The Dutch side didn’t look good in their recent friendlies, so a home win is tipped in Piraeus. 

Best Bet1: Olympiakos Win Full-Time Result @3/5 at bet365 - 3 Units
Olympiakos Win
Full-Time Result
@3/5 - 3 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
with bonus code NEWBONUS

Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad

Bet at bet365
vedran-ostojic
Vedran Ostojic

Sports Editor • 10+ Years Of Experience in Football, Basketball, Handball & Volleyball

Located in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Vedran is a passionate sports enthusiast with a particular love for the English Premier League. He's been writing about sports online for almost a decade with a degree in literature and sports journalism. The primary areas of focus include top European football leagues (mainly EPL, Serie A & Bundesliga) and basketball (Euroleague & NBA).

Read More

Top Betting Sites

special-offer-1Betting offers

Upcoming Events

04 Aug 2026

Olympiacos v NEC

Hear more from Freetips.com