Olympiacos Approach 1st European Test Amidst Injury Concerns And | OneFootball

Press Conference Before 3rd Round UCL Qualifier 1st Leg Against NEC Nijmegen - Giorgos Matthaios/EUROKINISSI

Olympiacos’ first European test will begin with an improvised midfield—and a decision over how much control to sacrifice. Olympiacos’ first official match of the season arrives with the area most responsible for controlling it operating below full strength.

José Luis Mendilibar confirmed during Monday’s pre-match press conference that Santiago Hezze and Lorenzo Scipioni have been affected by injuries during the preparation period. His response was characteristically direct: injuries are part of football, and the players chosen to replace them must perform.

That answer avoided announcing his lineup. It nevertheless confirmed that Olympiacos’ midfield planning for NEC Nijmegen has been disrupted.

Hezze has increased his workload in an effort to become available, but current Greek reporting considers it difficult for him to start. Scipioni is closer to selection, although the Argentine missed enough preseason work to make a demanding European start uncertain.

The issue is not simply which two names appear in midfield. It is what Olympiacos lose when Hezze is absent or physically restricted.

Hezze’s absence changes the geometry of the press

Hezze provides much of Olympiacos’ capacity to defend forward.

He closes opponents quickly, competes for second balls and protects the space behind teammates when Mendilibar’s front line presses aggressively. His mobility allows the team to commit players toward the ball without immediately exposing the centre-backs.

NEC are precisely the kind of opponent capable of exploiting any reduction in that coverage.

Mendilibar described the Dutch side as perhaps the boldest team Olympiacos have studied, emphasizing its speed, attacking intent and willingness to play with three defenders. He also referenced Schreuder’s previous work at Castellón, where the coach built an unusually aggressive possession structure. A team that advances defenders, rotates players through midfield and attacks quickly after breaking pressure can punish a holding midfielder who arrives half a second late.

Without a fully fit Hezze, Olympiacos must either reduce the aggression of the press or accept greater risk behind it.

Mouzakitis and García offer control, but not the same defensive range

The most straightforward partnership would pair Christos Mouzakitis with Dani García.

That combination provides technical security and tactical experience. Mouzakitis can receive under pressure and progress possession. García can organize positioning, protect central zones and manage the rhythm of the match. Together, they may help Olympiacos avoid the frantic transitions that NEC would welcome.

The concern is recovery speed.

Neither naturally reproduces Hezze’s ability to cover large distances after possession is lost. Olympiacos would therefore need the full-backs and attacking midfielders to exercise greater restraint. The nearest winger cannot remain disconnected when the ball turns over, and the centre-backs may need to defend slightly deeper rather than continually holding an aggressive line.

That adjustment would not represent fear. It would represent structural compensation.

Chiquinho is the more aggressive alternative

Mendilibar could also use Chiquinho deeper.

That would increase Olympiacos’ ability to press and combine in advanced midfield areas. Chiquinho understands Mendilibar’s demands, reacts quickly after turnovers and can connect midfield possession with El Kaabi and the wide attackers.

But playing him as a number eight creates another question: who provides the final pass closer to goal?

Moving Chiquinho backward might strengthen the route into the attacking third while weakening the team’s presence once it arrives there. Gustavo Sá or Fortounis could occupy the advanced role, but each option changes the balance and pressing assignments.

This is why the midfield injuries affect more than two positions. They force Mendilibar to rearrange the entire central spine.

Scipioni may be more useful later than from the start

Scipioni’s reported availability gives Olympiacos another option, but availability and readiness are not identical.

A player who missed a significant portion of preseason may struggle to maintain Mendilibar’s required intensity for 90 minutes. Starting him could provide energy but create a predictable substitution. Holding him back could allow Olympiacos to introduce fresh defensive aggression when NEC begin to find more space. That second use may be especially valuable.

European qualifiers often change after the hour mark. Teams become stretched, defensive distances increase and midfielders must cover more ground. A controlled introduction of Scipioni could be more effective than asking him to manage the match before his physical preparation is complete.

Mendilibar does not want Olympiacos hypnotized by NEC

The most revealing tactical statement concerned Olympiacos’ mentality.

Mendilibar warned that focusing excessively on what NEC can do could cause his team to lose. His priority is for Olympiacos to concentrate on imposing their own game.

That does not mean ignoring the opposition.

It means refusing to become passive against a side whose boldness is designed to create hesitation. NEC want opponents to worry about their unusual positioning, their three-defender rotations and their willingness to attack with numbers.

Olympiacos must instead force NEC to defend. An aggressive opening could test whether the Dutch side’s defenders can circulate possession under pressure inside Karaiskakis. El Kaabi’s pressing angles, the wingers’ positioning and Mouzakitis’ anticipation around second balls may become more important than continuous running.

The press must be intelligent rather than merely intense.

Yaremchuk’s omission remains a squad decision, not proof of departure

Mendilibar also addressed Roman Yaremchuk’s absence from the Champions League list.

The coach explained that Olympiacos had numerous foreign players competing for 17 places and that he selected those he considered in the best condition to navigate the qualifying round. That clarification matters because Yaremchuk’s exclusion has been widely interpreted as evidence that he is certain to leave.

A transfer remains possible. The UEFA-list decision alone does not prove one.

Mendilibar presented the omission as a performance and registration judgment. He did not say that Yaremchuk had been removed because negotiations for his departure were complete.

The same caution should apply to Mehdi Taremi and other players outside the list. Selection decisions can reveal squad hierarchy without guaranteeing transfer outcomes.

The broader message: the squad will still change

Mendilibar openly acknowledged that players may arrive and depart before the market closes in early September. He added that Olympiacos will eventually settle on a squad of approximately 25 players and insisted that incoming players must adapt to the team’s requirements—not the reverse. That statement reinforces the importance of the midfield recruitment now underway.

Olympiacos are considering players with very different qualities, from Daniel Bragança’s technical control to Vinícius Souza’s defensive power. The immediate NEC match illustrates why both profiles have appeal.

The squad needs someone who can help progress possession through pressure. It also needs someone who can defend the space created by Mendilibar’s football.

For Tuesday night, Olympiacos must solve those needs internally.

A tie that cannot be settled through urgency alone

Mendilibar emphasized that qualification will not be decided in one match. Olympiacos must perform well in both Piraeus and Nijmegen.

That should influence the first-leg approach.

Karaiskakis will demand aggression, but Olympiacos cannot allow emotional urgency to produce an open match. With the midfield already compromised, uncontrolled transitions would favor NEC.

The ideal performance would combine:

Olympiacos do not need to become cautious. They need to ensure their aggression remains connected.

The first major tactical problem of the season is therefore already clear: how to play Mendilibar football without the midfielder who most naturally protects it.