Serie A giants Milan make a journey to Rotterdam to satisfy Feyenoord within the first leg of their Champions League playoff tie on Wednesday night. It is going to be the primary assembly between the edges since 1969/70 when the Dutch facet obtained the higher of the seven-time European champions.
Feyenoord sacked supervisor Brian Priske within the build-up to this fixture, appointing Pascal Bosschaart as an interim boss on Monday. Regardless of serving to ‘De Stadionclub’ attain the Champions League knockout levels for the primary time since 1984/85, Priske couldn’t save his job.
A disturbing 6-1 defeat at Lille within the closing league-phase spherical was solely a part of the explanation Feyenoord determined to half methods with Arne Slot’s successor. That they had since misplaced to bitter rivals Ajax and PSV Eindhoven throughout league and cup competitions earlier than stemming the bleeding final weekend.
Nevertheless, a 3-0 rout of crosstown rivals Sparta Rotterdam was inadequate to salvage Priske’s profession at De Kuip. Santiago Gimenez’s return to this floor is among the many main subplots because the Mexican striker swapped Feyenoord for Milan throughout the January switch window for a reported payment of €32 million.
Gimenez scored on his Serie A debut final weekend, discovering the online off the bench in Milan’s 2-0 victory at Empoli. He additionally arrange Joao Felix in a 3-1 win towards Roma within the Coppa Italia per week in the past. Because of this, he may begin for Milan for the primary time towards his former membership.
Match Preview
Feyenoord
Regardless of being demolished by Lille of their final Champions League outing, Feyenoord ought to take the sphere in excessive spirits. Unfazed by the opposition’s stature, the Dutch staff thrashed runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich 3-0 of their most up-to-date European house fixture.
However Gimenez, who netted a brace in that scintillating win, is now on the alternative facet. The 23-year-old may threaten Feyenoord’s unimaginable run of just one defeat throughout their final 11 encounters towards Italian golf equipment in main European competitions (W6, D4).
Additional confidence stems from Feyenoord’s dominant house kind for the reason that begin of December. They’ve gained 4 of their final 5 aggressive video games at De Kuip (L1), together with two within the Champions League towards Bayern Munich and Sparta Prague by way of an mixture rating of 7-2.
With every win throughout that sequence seeing Feyenoord rating no less than three objectives, Milan’s porous backline might be below strain at De Kuip.
Milan
Again-to-back home wins forward of this journey helped Milan erase the reminiscence of a dismal 2-1 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb within the league-phase finale. That consequence price them automated last-16 qualification, however they’ve nonetheless entered the knockout levels as a seeded staff.
It means they’ll host the return leg, which is nice information for Sergio Conceicao. Certainly, Milan haven’t gained any of their final 11 Champions League knockout matches on the highway (D4, L7), suggesting their hopes of reaching the spherical of 16 will hinge on the upcoming house efficiency.
Nevertheless, Milan should defy latest historical past to go away Feyenoord of their wake after failing to beat Dutch opponents throughout their final 4 European clashes (D3, L1). Connoisseurs of action-packed soccer ought to, nonetheless, sit up for this assembly.
Milan’s final six Champions League video games away from house have featured objectives in each halves. Worryingly, the Rossoneri didn’t maintain a clear sheet in all 4 such matches throughout this season’s league part, conceding exactly twice within the final two.
Workforce Information
Quite a few high-profile accidents have decimated Feyenoord’s squad forward of this showdown. The hosts can’t depend on Justin Bijlow, Gernot Trauner, Calvin Stengs, Chris-Kevin Nadje, Jordan Lotomba, and Ramiz Zerrouki. Moreover, Jakub Moder and Quilindschy Hartman are doubtful.
Then again, Milan will take this journey with out Alessandro Florenzi, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Emerson Royal. Winter signing Warren Bondo remains to be on the sidelines, whereas Yunus Musah picked up a crimson card towards Dinamo Zagreb final outing.
Feyenoord vs Milan Potential Beginning Line-ups
Feyenoord (4-3-3): Wellenreuther; Nieuwkoop, Beelen, Hancko, Hartman; Moder, Timber, Hwang; Hadj-Moussa, Ueda, Paixao.
Milan (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Walker, Tomori, Pavlovic, Hernandez; Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Felix, Leao; Gimenez.
Feyenoord vs Milan Prediction
It is going to be thrilling to see how the new-look Milan attacking line-up will fare of their first European match. Feyenoord deserve the advantage of the doubt, however we anticipate the sheer firepower to prevail on this contest.