Dinamo Zagreb come into Thursday's Dinamo Zagreb vs NEC Nijmegen with a steadier European base than NEC Nijmegen. Dinamo are 14th in the 36-team Europa League table on four points and have kept clean sheets in both of their league-phase matches so far. NEC are 27th on one point, and the gap has been shaped by the sort of defending Dick Schreuder has already described as “cheap goals conceded against the run of general play.”

Dinamo's platform in Europe

The contrast starts at the back. Dinamo have four points from two matches and have not had to chase games from a losing position, which gives them a calmer shape in the competition. They also scored their first league-phase goal only on October 15, when Dion Drena Beljo converted a stoppage-time penalty against Anderlecht.

Beljo is the cleanest attacking reference point in this preview. He has two goals in Dinamo's current Champions League campaign data set, and his stoppage-time finish in Belgium showed how quickly one moment can change the feel of a tie. If Dinamo control territory again, he should get chances to make NEC pay for loose moments in their own box.

NEC's defensive problems

NEC's European numbers are the worrying part. They have conceded six in two Europa League matches, and 12 across their last four European outings. The 5-0 defeat at Juventus was followed by a 1-1 home draw with Levski Sofia, which left them with only one point and little room to absorb another flat night.

The injury list adds to that pressure. Bram Nuytinck is out with an ankle injury, while Philippe Sandler has also been troubled by injury this month. Dusan Tadic is a fitness doubt for the match, although his move to NEC on a two-year free transfer from Al-Wahda has already given the game an extra layer of attention after the whistles and banners he faced at Ajax earlier this month.

Schreuder's complaint about cheap goals is fair. NEC have not been overrun in every spell of play, but they keep giving opponents easy openings, and Dinamo do not need many of those. A side with two clean sheets, four points and Beljo in form should like that matchup at Stadion Maksimir.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →