How NEC Nijmegen reached the UEFA Europa League for the first time since 2009

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nijmegen/nRluRF0T/"]NEC Nijmegen[/a]'s third-place finish in the 2025/26 Eredivisie was the best in club history and earned them their first-ever spot in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers.[/p][p]The success is all self-made, engineered by manager Dick Schreuder, who rocked the Eredivisie with his aggressive attacking brand of football.[/p][p]Without star winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/basar-onal/E5J0klxS/"]Basar Onal[/a] but with former wunderkind [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mor-emre/Kd02fMXo/"]Emre Mor[/a] and former Ajax star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tadic-dusan/Ic4oPYSF/"]Dusan Tadic[/a], as well as defenders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schuurs-perr/ARdXOcOJ/"]Perr Schuurs[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/storm-tobias/SvtNrNY2/"]Tobias Storm[/a] and midfielders [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monteiro-jamiro/QXkjtqYd/"]Jamiro Monteiro[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bischoff-clement/jwJHH4rb/"]Clement Bischoff[/a], NEC entered their first Champions League campaign with a fresh look.[/p][h2]NEC's road to the UEFA Europa League[/h2][p][b]UEFA Champions League third qualifying round[/b][/p][p]NEC opened their maiden UEFA Champions League qualifying campaign against Greek giants [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/olympiacos-piraeus/hnzvnHPS/"]Olympiacos[/a][/b].[/p][p]The 2023/24 UEFA Conference League winners finished second in the 2025/26 Greek Super League, six points behind champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aek/ANpZncAM/"]AEK Athens[/a]. Olympiacos struggled in the Championship Group, only managing two wins in six games.[/p][p]Olympiacos reached the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League last season after beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ajax/8UOvIwnb/"]Ajax[/a] 2-1 on the final matchday of the League Phase, but were eliminated by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayer-leverkusen/4jcj2zMd/"]Bayer Leverkusen[/a] after a 2-0 aggregate loss.[/p][p]In NEC's first-ever UEFA Champions League match, the Nijmegen side fought valiantly and showed Europe what they're made of by taking home a strong 0-0 draw from Piraeus. In Nijmegen, NEC came from behind to beat Olympiacos through Bryan Linssen and Emre Mor, earning the club its first play-off ticket.[/p][p][b]Tuesday, August 4th: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/nijmegen-nRluRF0T/olympiacos-piraeus-hnzvnHPS/?mid=z35yaRcf"]Olympiacos (GRE) - [b]NEC Nijmegen[/b][/a] (0-0)[/p][p][b]Tuesday, August 11th[/b]: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/nijmegen-nRluRF0T/olympiacos-piraeus-hnzvnHPS/?mid=8G3qc5S6"][b]NEC Nijmegen[/b] - Olympiacos (GRE)[/a] (2-1, A.E.T.)[/p][embed guid="490b7a38-7baf-4583-8de6-e3039954ed9a" url="https://x.com/necnijmegen/status/2087263378133651835?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]UEFA Champions League Play-offs[/b][/p][p]If NEC qualify for the play-offs of the UEFA Champoins League, they will face either Norwegian side [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bodo-glimt/S0WZMUNG/"]Bodo/Glimt[/a].[/b][/p][p]Bodo/Glimt was the sensation of last season's UEFA Champions League, reaching the round-of-16 and beating Sporting Portugal 3-0 in the first leg. The Norwegian champions were eliminated after losing 5-0 to Sporting in the second leg.[/p][embed guid="2f40833a-5787-4d1e-8b7f-7ea6f79eca2b" url="https://x.com/necnijmegen/status/2092624676707029421?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Bodo/Glimt stormed to the lead in Nijmegen, with Sondre Fet and Andreas Helmersen helping the Norwegians to a 2-0 lead in the first half. Clement Bischoff sparked some hope for NEC after Haitam Aleesami put Bodo/Glimt up 3-0, but all hope came to a quick end in Norway, where NEC goalkeeper Gonzalo Crettaz was sent off within three minutes for handball. The hosts made it an easy win, beating NEC 3-0 to put the Eredivisie side in the UEFA Europa League.[/p][p][b]Wednesday, August 19th: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/bodo-glimt-S0WZMUNG/nijmegen-nRluRF0T/?mid=QDLeoRWA"][b]NEC Nijmegen[/b] - Bodo/Glimt (NOR)[/a] (1-3)[/p][p][b]Tuesday, August 25th[/b]: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/bodo-glimt-S0WZMUNG/nijmegen-nRluRF0T/?mid=YwP3q51N"]Bodo/Glimt (NOR) - [b]NEC Nijmegen[/b][/a] (3-0)[/p][infobox id="383e2abc-afe3-4139-8e06-aa4254ac57ee" /]