For the first time since the 1984/85 season, Feyenoord have reached the knockout stages of the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, progressing to the play-off round despite a heavy 6-1 defeat to Lille on matchday eight of the league phase. That loss was part of a difficult spell for the Dutch side, who also suffered defeats to domestic rivals PSV and Ajax in league and cup action. However, they ended their poor run with a morale-boosting 3-0 victory over Sparta Rotterdam on Saturday.
Despite that result, head coach Brian Priske was dismissed on Monday, with the club citing “inconsistent results and a lack of progress” as the reasons behind his departure. Feyenoord now enter this crucial tie against AC Milan under new leadership, looking to build on their impressive record against Italian clubs. They have lost just once in 11 home matches against Italian opposition in major European competitions (W6, D4), and will take confidence from their last encounter with a former winner of the tournament, when they secured a stunning 3-0 victory over Bayern Munich on matchday seven.
AC Milan finished two points ahead of Feyenoord in the league phase, recording five wins and three defeats. Like their Dutch counterparts, they also suffered an away defeat on matchday eight, losing 2-1 to Dinamo Zagreb. However, Milan have remained unbeaten in domestic competitions since then (W2, D1), with both of their victories coming by two-goal margins, including a 2-0 win over Empoli on Saturday.
As one of the top 16 finishers in the league phase, Sérgio Conceição’s Milan will host the second leg, which could be an advantage given their recent struggles on the road in the Champions League. The Rossoneri have failed to win any of their last 11 UCL knockout matches away from home (D4, L7). Their record against Dutch teams in recent years is also concerning, with their last four meetings in major European competitions ending without a victory (D3, L1).
Key Players to Watch
Feyenoord’s Quinten Timber has been instrumental in recent matches, scoring the opening goal in two of the team’s last three fixtures. Notably, three of his last four goals have come between the 30th and 55th minute. For Milan, Christian Pulisic has been a standout performer in the Champions League this season, netting four goals in the competition. The American forward has also contributed two goals and two assists across his last five appearances.
Stat to Note
Five of Milan’s last six Champions League away fixtures have featured goals in both halves (W3, L3), suggesting that another action-packed contest could be on the cards in Rotterdam.
