Position
Last weekend Feyenoord looked on course for a win in the Dutch Eredivisie against newly promoted FC Groningen but failed to seal the deal. The runners-up from last season were two goals up on 81 minutes but the Icelander Brynolfur Willumsson first pulled a goal back for Groningen and then netted the second of his brace in added time in a wake-up call for the Rotterdam side. "If you are leading by two goals with ten minutes to play then you have to take the three points," declared Feyenoord coach Brian Priske after the game. However, the 47-year-old former Denmark international is aware: "It's clear we have a long way to go and you could see that in Groningen. We have lots of new players and it takes time."
Priske took over as coach this summer from Arne Slot, who led Feyenoord to the Dutch league title in 2023 and the runners-up spot and domestic cup success last term. Slot is now at Liverpool following in the big footsteps of Jürgen Klopp.
For Brian Priske, who previously in two years at Sparta Prague twice won the Czech league title and the national cup competition once, made a successful start at Feyenoord. Playing for the Johan Cruyff Shield at the start of the Dutch season, his team beat PSV Eindhoven, under the former Bayer 04 coach Peter Bosz, 8-6 on penalties in an exciting match. The first trophy has been won. Feyenoord are unbeaten in the league after four matches and that run stretches to 24 games since last season. At the same time, they have drawn three games and only secured one victory (5-1 against PEC Zwolle). Feyenoord are currently sixth in the table.
Feyenoord start their seventh campaign in the UEFA Champions League. The 16-time champions and 14-time cup winners have yet to qualify for the Round of 16. Last term they finished third in the group behind Atletico Madrid and Lazio. In the Europa League play-offs they narrowly lost against AS Roma (1-1, 4-2 on penalties). Bayer 04 have met Feyenoord once in the UEFA Cup. In the 1987/88 season, when the Werkself won the trophy, the Black and Reds won in the Round of 16 (2-2, 1-0). The Dutch club have to date twice won the UEFA Cup (1973/74 and 2001/02).
Personnel
Just before the summer transfer window closed, Feyenoord lost a home-grown Rotterdam player to RB Leipzig in Lutsharel Geertruida. The Netherlands international was a central defender very capable of scoring and for many years a leading player in the team. The club has also had to cope with the departure of two other key performers: The defensive midfielder Mats Wieffer joined Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion as did striker Yankuba Minteh, the second highest scorer at Feyenoord last season with ten goals.
A new signing in central midfield was the South Korea international In-beom Hwang who has 61 caps to date. The 27-year-old, in the past sought after by several Bundesliga clubs, only joined from Red Star Belgrade at the start of September and is able to play on Thursday for the first time in the game against the Werkself. Also new to the team are the defenders Jeyland Mitchell (LD Alajuelense), Facundo Gonzalez (on loan from Juventus), Gijs Smal (FC Twente Enschede), Jordan Lotomba (Nice) and the recently injured Spaniard Hugo Bueno (Wolverhampton Wanderers). The large number of new signings also includes midfielder Chris-Kevin Nadje (FC Versailles) plus the strikers Julian Carranza (Philadelphia Union), Ibrahim Osman (on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion) and Anis Hadj Moussa (Patro Maasmechelen).
The number one goalkeeper at Feyenoord is former Bundesliga shot stopper Timon Wellenreuther. Born in Karlsruhe, he made a total of ten appearances for Schalke 04 since 2014/2015 season. Key figures in the squad under coach Brian Priske are the midfielders Quinten Timber and Calvin Stengs. 23-year-old Timber is the new captain at Feyenoord and a current Netherlands international who recently played in the 2-2 draw with Germany. Last season he was the best scorer and provider at Feyenoord with seven goals and nine assists. His teammate Stengs misses out against Bayer 04 following a knee operation. There is also a question mark over central defender Thomas Beelen who went off injured at half-time in Groningen. In attack, striker Santiago Gimenez and left winger Igor Paixao are first choices. The Mexican Giminez was the second top scorer in the Eredivisie last season with a tally of 23 goals. The Brazilian Paixao scored nine times. Both players have scored two goals this season.
Problems
In Geertruida, Wieffer and Minteh, Feyenoord have lost a key player in all three parts of the team. It remains to be seen how that affects the structure of the team. And the fact that integrating the many new signings will take time emphasised by coach Brian Prisca after the 2-2 draw in Groningen. In addition, loss of key players through injury does not make the start of this season any easier.
Performers
In recent years, Feyenoord have been in the top three teams in the Netherlands both in terms of defence and attack. The Rotterdam team only conceded 26 goals in 34 games last season. Only champions PSV Eindhoven did better (21). The club was also second best in goal scored with 92 behind Eindhoven (111). It is also striking that the goals were scored by 16 players. In addition to the strikers Santiago Gimenez (23 goals), Yankuba Minteh (10) and Igor Paixao (9) it was mainly the midfielders Quinten Timber (7) and Calvin Stengs (6) plus Lutsharel Geertruida (8), now at RB Leipzig, who found the back of the net. The Werkself should particularly look out for Gimenez. The Mexican is very good in the air but also difficult to get off the ball when dribbling in tight spaces. The 23-year-old has played 91 times in the port city scoring 53 goals and providing 13 assists. An impressive return.
