Olympiacos played to a 0-0 draw with NEC Nijmegen at the Karaiskakis Stadium in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round. Coach Jose Luis Mendilibar said afterward that the result was not bad, given how his team performed.
Mendilibar said the outcome was something they had not expected. He said the coaching staff had discussed in training the day before that Nijmegen had gone a long time without scoring, and they had wondered who on the opposing side would find the net. He described it as a strange match with many one-on-one situations, saying Nijmegen were better in those duels, more attacking and faster, while Olympiacos struggled to create chances.
What Olympiacos Lacked
Mendilibar said his team lacked many things and needed to be more aggressive and tougher in individual battles, as well as smarter in managing the referee, who he said had shown early on that he would not award many fouls. He said Olympiacos failed to adapt to an opponent that was more dynamic and physical.
Looking to the Return Leg
On next week's second leg, Mendilibar said he did not know whether the match would be similar, but that his side needed to be different and improve on many aspects. Since Olympiacos were not good on this occasion, he said, the 0-0 draw was not a bad result, and he expects Nijmegen to play the same way, with qualification still open.
