On Wednesday evening, Olympiacos will face Jagiellonia Bialystok at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in their first match of the 2026-27 Europa League group stage, as the Greek team aims to kick off their European journey with a victory. The hosts have had a rocky start to the season, having failed to qualify for the Champions League group stage and parting ways with manager Jose Luis Mendilibar last week. They have since appointed Imanol Alguacil, while Jagiellonia comes to Piraeus following a 2-0 loss to Wisla Krakow. Olympiacos' entry into the Europa League comes under challenging circumstances, as Mendilibar was dismissed on September 10 after just seven matches into the season. Under his guidance, the team had secured their first European trophy and achieved a domestic double in the 2024-25 season, but the club opted for a change in strategy. Imanol Alguacil, previously with Real Sociedad, now faces a tough initiation, starting with a 1-0 defeat at home to OFI Crete on Saturday. This loss leaves Olympiacos with only two wins in their first four matches of the Greek Super League, both of which were in their opening games against Atromitos and Asteras Tripolis, each ending 1-0 in their favor. Additionally, they enjoyed a 4-0 victory against Larissa in the Greek Cup but followed that with a 1-1 draw against Volos and a narrow 3-2 win over the same opponent in the cup. The defeat to OFI was particularly concerning not just for the result but also for the timing, as Alguacil had limited opportunity to implement his tactics. He has recognized the urgency to make adjustments before the European opener. Olympiacos earned their place in the Europa League after being eliminated by Dutch side Nijmegen in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, losing 2-1 on aggregate, with the decisive goal coming in extra time of the second leg following a scoreless first leg.