Olympiacos is a club with extensive experience in European competition, reaching the Champions League knockout stage last season. For NEC, on the other hand, this match will be their first ever qualifying match for the most prestigious competition, and their general director admits they will be a clear underdog. The Greek giants have a significant advantage not only in class but also in European experience, which is especially important in two-legged ties.
The teams' current form, despite Olympiacos's disappointing run of friendly matches, also speaks in the hosts' favor. Preseason games have shown that NEC is experiencing serious defensive issues: they are conceding in every match, and their defense was one of the worst among teams in the Eredivisie's top five last season. Furthermore, the visitors enter the game with personnel losses, including one of their key scorers, Koki Ogawa, weakening their attacking prowess. Olympiacos, despite their results, managed to score in their last game, and they have no serious attacking personnel issues.
Given the advantage of their home ground, the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, where the Greek fans create incredible pressure on their opponents, and their clear superiority in experience, an Olympiacos victory seems the most logical outcome. Given NEC's defensive problems and the Greeks' powerful attacking potential, led by Ayoub El Kaabi, Olympiacos must win the first leg to secure a comfortable advantage heading into the return leg in the Netherlands.
