Feyenoord‘s skipper, Quinten Timber, will miss the remainder of the season following knee surgery due to a ligament injury, as announced by the club on Monday. The injury occurred during an awkward fall when Feyenoord secured a 1-0 victory over AC Milan in the first leg of their Champions League playoff in Rotterdam last week. Consequently, Timber did not accompany the team to Italy for the second leg on Tuesday.
Having scored six goals in 18 matches, Timber has been a pivotal player for the Dutch side this season. However, he now joins a lengthy list of injured players at the club, with eight others sidelined for the Milan clash. Quinten Timber, aged 23, is the identical twin of Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber, who sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee during his Premier League debut in August 2023 and underwent surgery, remaining out for several months.
On a positive note, forward Calvin Stengs, who was injured during a 3-0 triumph over Bayern Munich in January, has recovered and is expected to participate in Tuesday’s match. Despite these challenges, Feyenoord’s interim manager Pascal Bosschaart expressed optimism regarding his team’s prospects at the pre-match press briefing.
“We all feel for Timber; it’s a surprise for everyone,” he remarked. “However, we’re here with a solid team. It’s the same line-up as last week, except without Timber and with Calvin Stengs. We’re pleased to have Stengs back in the squad, as he’s capable of playing for thirty minutes. “Holding a 1-0 advantage puts us in a favourable position to advance to the next round. AC Milan will surely alter their approach compared to Rotterdam, so we must also strategise accordingly, but we’ve prepared thoroughly. Hopefully, our strategy will be successful,” Bosschaart concluded.
