NEC's Champions League debut faces a tight Athens night in Greece

NEC are looking forward to their first European adventure since 2008 as they prepare for a Champions League third‑round tie in Athens against Olympiakos, with kickoff set for 20:00. Trainer Dick Schreuder shares the excitement while acknowledging the historic step for the Dutch club.

The team faces a strict training schedule, permitted to use the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium only between 20:00 and 21:00 on Tuesday evening. Schreuder interrupted the traditional media briefing to explain the need to head to the pitch, apologising to the journalists for the abrupt exit.

Captain Tjaronn Chery also left the press conference early, joining Schreuder in the rush to the training field. Both players cited the limited time as the reason for cutting the media moment short.

Schreuder offered a brief analysis of Olympiakos, recalling last season’s encounters where PSV drew 1‑1 and Ajax lost 1‑2 to the Greek side. He warned that the night would be difficult, drawing a parallel with those previous Dutch‑Greek duels.

NEC coach Schreuder cuts press conference short to prioritize training before Olympiakos clash

He stopped short of declaring Olympiakos an easy opponent, saying, "I can only judge after the match, but I see aspects that could make it tricky." The comment underscored the uncertainty surrounding the Greek club’s strength.

Despite the challenges, Schreuder affirmed his commitment to an attacking philosophy, stating that NEC will try to play forward but may also find themselves defending deep against strong opponents.

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Eighteen years ago, NEC made a memorable European run under manager Mario Been, featuring players such as Gabor Babos, Peter Wisgerhof, Patrick Pothuizen, Lasse Schøne, Youssef El‑Akchaoui, Collins John and Jhon van Beukering. That squad reached the last 32 of the UEFA Cup after victories over Udinese, Spartak Moscow and Dinamo Bucharest.

Schreuder recalled that European football was part of the club’s objectives when he joined in 2025, describing a three‑year plan that accelerated to a Champions League start. He believes the experience will benefit the club’s development and sees the upcoming match as a milestone for NEC.