Nejašmić After Toppling Olympiacos
The former Hajduk and Osijek midfielder was named man of the match in the Champions League qualifier return leg, with Dutch media dubbing him the 'Busquets of Nijmegen'.
The former Hajduk and Osijek midfielder was named man of the match in the Champions League qualifier return leg, with Dutch media dubbing him the 'Busquets of Nijmegen'.
Darko Nejašmić (27) is currently experiencing the peak of his career playing for Dutch side NEC Nijmegen. After surprisingly overtaking the mighty Ajax in the league, NEC players shocked everyone again by defeating Greek side Olympiacos 2-1 on aggregate in the Champions League qualifiers.
The first leg in Greece ended goalless, so the decision on progression was made in the return match in the Netherlands. NEC secured the win with a goal from Emre Mor in the 95th minute, with Nejašmić having a decisive impact on the pitch. The Croatian midfielder played all 120 minutes and was deservedly named man of the match.
His dominance is evident from the statistics: he had 113 touches of the ball, more than any other midfielder in the Dutch side, and completed 71 accurate passes, 34 of which were in the opponent's half. SofaScore rated his performance 7.1.
After the match, Dutch media dubbed him the "Busquets of Nijmegen," alluding to his composure and control in building attacks. Nejašmić responded to these comparisons with a smile.
"Thank you for the compliments because I really admire Busquets, although I do think I'm a slightly different type of player. However, I understand what you mean, I was occasionally compared to him even at the start of my career while playing for Hajduk," Nejašmić told Sportklub.
It's particularly interesting how NEC brought in Nejašmić on a free transfer after his contract with Sharjah FC in the United Arab Emirates expired. Before heading to the Middle East, the 27-year-old Croatian played for Osijek, where he moved directly from Hajduk.
By reaching the Champions League play-offs, where they face Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt, NEC and Nejašmić have secured at least a spot in the league phase of the Europa League. For the Croatian player, this means he will appear in the main stage of a European club competition for the first time in his career.
