◆1 source
NEC had gone a month and a half without a victory and was looking to end a run of six games without a win in a European main tournament since 2008. The team faced Bulgarian champions Levski Sofia, coached by former Fortuna Sittard manager Julio Velázquez, at De Goffert.
NEC coach Dick Schreuder met Velázquez, an old acquaintance, in Nijmegen. The account did not report the result of the match.
10 sources
NEC drew 1-1 away to Ajax in the Johan Cruijff ArenA, where former Ajax captain Dusan Tadic made an emotional return and was welcomed by Ajax supporters with a banner. Before the match, the F-side marked its 50th anniversary with fireworks and a large banner. Tadic said afterwards that Ajax remains his love but that, as an NEC player, he must do what is best for NEC. Tadic had drawn criticism from NEC supporters after remarks before the match in which he described Ajax as his benchmark and contrasted playing with top players with playing alongside lesser players. He denied being disrespectful to NEC. Ahead of NEC's Europa League home match against Levski Sofia, coach Dick Schreuder said he hoped supporters would back Tadic and the team, while seeking to move on from the controversy.
4 sources
NEC signed 26-year-old defender Mitchel Bakker for the rest of the season, with a unilateral option to extend the deal by one year. He had trained with the Nijmegen side in recent weeks after becoming a free agent when his Atalanta contract was terminated in the summer. Bakker is immediately eligible to play and could make his debut in NEC's away match against Ajax. The left-footed defender previously came through Ajax's youth system and played for Paris Saint-Germain, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille and Atalanta.