Out of the Champions League after extra time in Nijmegen
Olympiacos are out. NEC Nijmegen won 2–1 after extra time on Tuesday, and your Champions League campaign ends at the third qualifying round (1) (2) (3). Darko Nejasmic scored for Olympiacos, but NEC hit back through Bryan Linssen and Kaj Sierhuis to flip the tie (6) (8). The 0–0 draw in Piraeus last week left no margin, and the Dutch side took full advantage.
Mendilibar: "We must not bow our heads"
José Luis Mendilibar did not sugarcoat the exit. "We must not bow our heads, we knew we have the Europa League," he said after the match (4). He was also blunt about the opposition: "NEC was just better" (5). No excuses. The Europa League is now the fallback, and Mendilibar is already pointing the squad in that direction.
Emre Mor ran the show, with a bizarre delay
NEC's Emre Mor was the difference. He came off the bench and tore the game open, but not before a surreal hold-up. Referees stopped his introduction because of an earring he refused to remove, his ear was reportedly still bleeding from a recent piercing (2) (3). Once he got on, he was unplayable. Greek media singled out NEC's Bischoff for praise too, calling his performance ice-cold in the Nijmegen atmosphere (7).
Greek press: Olympiacos need to become a team again
The reaction back home is grim. Athletiko ran a brutal headline: "Olympiacos must become a team again" (1). The frustration from the first leg has hardened into something sharper after elimination. A 0–0 at home followed by a 2–1 away defeat, and no Champions League group stage to show for it.
Europa League next, Super League opener awaits
Olympiacos drop into the Europa League. The draw is still ahead. Domestically, the Super League starts Saturday, August 22 against Atromitos at Karaiskakis. The squad needs a response, and fast.
