I cannot recall a more symbiotic relationship between a Champions League opponent than we have with Feyenoord going into this playoff round. Obviously, the fact that we were in final negotiations with them for Santiago Gimenez at the time of the draw was a rather blatant sign. Call it fate, destiny, or Karma, but it was not the only shared experience. Milan have just changed our first team manager, and are desperately seeking to change our Milan Futuro manager. While Feyenoord actually sacked their manager just two days ahead of our match with them, and have appointed their youth team manager as their interim manager for this match. There is more, too. The correlations between the two clubs that are not directly causal seem almost related, they are so uncanny, making it seem like Feyenoord and Milan are almost symbiotic.
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| Santi showing his true colors before returning home. |
Feyenoord Rotterdam come into this matchup having finished 19th in the Champions League table, with just two points less than Milan. However, in the Eredvisie (the Dutch league,) they are actually doing better than Milan are in our league, sitting fifth on the table. With a run of three straight losses, Feyenoord won their Derby on Sunday 3-0 over Sparta Rotterdam. And yet they still fired their manager the following day. Whatever the reason, it was apparently important enough to do before facing Milan.
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| Bosschaart at his press conference, "I just walked in. What's this all about?" |
For that match, the newly unemployed Priske lined up a 4-3-3 with Wellenreuther; Nieuwkoop, Beelen, Hancko, Hartman; Moder, Hwang In-Beom, Quinten Timber; Hadj Moussa, Carranza, and Igor Paixão. Pascal Bosschaart is the interim manager for this match, and from Feyenoord's Champions League squad, he apparently will be missing Stengs, Bijlow, Lotomba, and Trauner to injury, with the fitness of Zerrouki also uncertain. Of course, he is still learning the names of the players he does have at his disposal, as he was only appointed on Tuesday, one day before the match.
Conceição pointed out in his press conference that Milan have no idea what they are up against, given the new manager appointment. He has obviously studied the team and players and their past matches, but even Bosschaart probably does not know how he will line up on Wednesday. Reijnders likely also knows many of them well, having played in the Eredvisie prior to coming to Milan, and he spoke about being excited to be wearing the Milan shirt playing in Holland.
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| A couple of familiar faces for the Feyenoord players. |
Obviously, no one knows them better than Santiago Gimenez, having just transferred from Feyenoord just over a week ago. Many have questioned Feyenoord's choice to let him go, as well as their choice to sack Priske and their staff. But then again, Milan's owner and management have been questioned about pretty much everything they've done since June 5th of 2023, if not earlier, including selling important players. So there are actually many commonalities if not directly traced to the relationship between the clubs.
Conceição arrives with a painfully short team list, as there are eight first team players unable to make the match. From his Champions League squad, Musah is suspended, Florenzi, Emerson Royal, and Loftus-Cheek are injured. Álex Jiménez and Jović, of course, were omitted from the list all season, and Bondo and Sottil were unable to be included when they arrived, as Milan could only make three changes to the list. So that is eight players missing.
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| Say hello to my little friend. |
However, Conceição will have at least both Camarda and Bartesaghi traveling with the team from List B to help add to the squad that would otherwise only be 17 players. Theo Hernández, Fofana, and Chukwueze are also one card away from suspension, so will need to be cautious in Rotterdam. There is much speculation about whether or not Conceição will play his new "Fab Four" of Leão, Pulisic, João Félix, and Santiago Gimenez, but as usual, he has refused to show his cards, which I love.
Milan and Feyenoord have much in common this season, but also have a seemingly symbiotic relationship as well. Where Milan did slightly better in the Champions League, Feyenoord is slightly better in their league position. Their sale of Gimenez weakened them, while it strengthened Milan. Their fans will be in full force at De Kuip, whereas our Ultras are boycotting this match. The question is, at the final whistle, which team will come out on top, and which team will be one step closer to Champions League elimination? A draw is simply unlikely when both teams are this symbiotic.
This post inspired by the music of Joost's "Europapa"
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Serie C Week 27
Reviewed by Elaine
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