Tjaronn Chery chased in friendly; NEC braces for Olympiakos‑duel

A friendly at 21:18 between Dutch side NEC and Spanish Sevilla erupted into a melee when NEC forward Bryan Linssen clashed with several Sevilla players, prompting a chase that involved teammate Tjaronn Chery – a warning, Linssen said, as NEC prepares for its Olympiakos‑duel in the Champions League qualifiers.

The fracas broke out in the final minutes of a one‑minute talk‑back segment, shortly after the 21:18 kickoff. Players from both sides were still on the pitch when the altercation began.

The official match report labelled the incident “unfriendly”. An update posted at 21:40 confirmed that the heated exchange lasted roughly one minute before play returned to normal.

NEC forward Bryan Linssen, 35, received a hard tackle from several Sevilla players, prompting a physical response that raised the tension on the field.

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Linssen described the episode as a “hot pot” of aggression. He told VoetbalPrimeur, “It became intense. It was a hot pot, but we can also expect that on Tuesday. First I struggled with someone, then another player came, and I grabbed him briefly. He was not happy and went after Tjaronn Chery, and then they got it back.”

NEC, based in Nijmegen, will meet Greek side Olympiakos in the Champions League qualifying round. Linssen warned that the upcoming clash could be as fierce as the recent friendly.

He added that the Dutch club must prepare for an equally heated match on Tuesday, suggesting the Sevilla incident offers a preview of the physicality awaiting them in Europe.

The contrast between a one‑minute friendly confrontation and a looming European tie underlines NEC’s need to ready itself for sustained intensity, not just isolated incidents.