Preview: Feyenoord vs Ajax – prediction, team news, lineups

De Klassieker, a fixture that has produced over 500 targets all through its wealthy historical past, is about to gentle up the Eredivisie this weekend as Feyenoord Rotterdam welcome file champions Ajax to De Kuip in an important battle for European locations.

Robin van Persie’s aspect ended a two-recreation winless run with a victory over SBV Excelsior final weekend, whereas Ajax additionally returned to profitable methods underneath new head coach Oscar Garcia.

Match preview

Feyenoord head into Sunday’s De Klassieker figuring out that victory may considerably strengthen their grip on second place within the Eredivisie table, with the Rotterdam aspect at the moment on 52 factors after 27 matches.

Their consistency all through the marketing campaign has saved them firmly in rivalry behind leaders PSV Eindhoven, and a win right here wouldn’t solely increase their push for a second-place end but additionally create additional distance from Sunday’s opponent.

The residence aspect have been significantly spectacular at De Kuip, turning their stadium right into a fortress with 4 wins from their final six league matches, a run that has been central to their push close to the summit and supplies a major psychological edge heading into one in all Dutch soccer’s fiercest fixtures.

Feyenoord’s attacking output has additionally performed a key position, with 60 targets scored to date this season, the third-finest tally within the division behind PSV and NEC Nijmegen, whereas additionally they boast the second-finest residence file with 10 wins, one draw and three defeats.

Van Persie’s aspect ended a two-recreation winless streak with a 2-1 victory over Excelsior final weekend, taking their tally to 52 factors, which places them three away from NEC in third and 5 forward of Ajax in fourth.

However, regardless of their present power, historical past urges warning, as Feyenoord have misplaced the final three conferences towards Ajax, though they nonetheless enter this conflict as slight favourites resulting from their superior league place, residence benefit and extra constant kind, whereas remaining conscious that any lapse in focus might be punished in a fixture that hardly ever follows the script.

© Iconsport / ProShots

© Iconsport / ProShots

A day after their 3-1 defeat at FC Groningen earlier this month, Ajax reshuffled their teaching setup by selling Oscar Garcia from the reserves to develop into their third head coach of the season, with Fred Grim returning to the academy.

The Spaniard started his tenure with a convincing 4-0 victory over Sparta Rotterdam and can look to construct on that robust begin in Sunday’s second Klassieker of the season towards Feyenoord.

De Godenzonen journey to Rotterdam sitting fourth within the Eredivisie standings with 47 factors, remaining inside touching distance of the highest three and figuring out {that a} victory may considerably reshape the race for a Champions League place subsequent season.

While final weekend’s win improved morale, it solely partly eased the stress following a poor run of 1 victory of their earlier seven matches, and Ajax will purpose to shut the hole to only two factors with a win in Rotterdam.

Their away kind stays a serious concern, as they’re winless of their final 4 league matches on the highway and have managed simply three wins from 13 away fixtures this season, alongside eight attracts and two defeats.

Historically, Ajax have dominated this fixture, profitable the final three encounters and recording 82 victories in 165 conferences with Feyenoord, in comparison with 42 defeats and 41 attracts.

Feyenoord Eredivisie kind:

Ajax Eredivisie kind:

Team News

© Iconsport / ANP

Feyenoord proceed to take care of a rising damage record, with Bart Nieuwkoop dominated out for the remainder of the season after struggling an damage throughout final weekend’s win over Excelsior.

South Korean midfielder Hwang In-beom can be set for a month on the sidelines after sustaining ankle ligament injury in the identical match, having been pressured off within the forty fourth minute, with supervisor Van Persie initially describing the problem as “worrisome.”

The Pride of the South are additionally with out Jeremiah St. Juste, whereas Shaqueel van Persie, Givairo Read, Malcolm Jeng, Gernot Trauner, Thomas Beelen, Shiloh ’t Zand, Sem Steijn, Leo Sauer and Gijs Smal stay unavailable resulting from numerous accidents.

For Ajax, Wout Weghorst returns after serving a suspension in the course of the win over Sparta, whereas former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu made his first begin for the membership in that match following his mid-season arrival.

However, Vitezslav Jaros and Oleksandr Zinchenko stay sidelined with knee accidents, and Ko Itakura can be unavailable resulting from a again drawback, whereas Youri Regeer was substituted off after 25 minutes towards Sparta with a suspected damage.

Feyenoord doable beginning lineup:

Wellenreuther; Deijl, Moder, Kraaijeveld, Bos; Valente, Targhalline, Lotomba; Moussa, Sterling, Ueda

Ajax doable beginning lineup:

Paes; Rosa, Sutalo, Baas, Tomiyasu; Klaassen, Mokio, Steur; Berghuis, Godts, Konadu

We say: Feyenoord 2-2 Ajax

Feyenoord come into this fixture in robust kind, having misplaced simply as soon as of their final six matches, and shall be keen to finish a 3-recreation winless run towards Ajax.

Although the guests seem revitalised underneath Garcia and gained confidence from final weekend’s victory, each side are anticipated to strategy the sport aggressively, which may lead to an entertaining contest the place the factors are in the end shared.

For knowledge evaluation of the most certainly outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.