Feyenoord Faces Challenges Amidst Injury Crisis

omidbasir- Feyenoord is currently facing challenges that are markedly different from their promising start just a few weeks ago. Following the club’s initial success in securing European points, the Rotterdam team suffered their first defeat in the league. Although they managed to recover against FC Volendam, two subsequent losses—one in Europe and another to Go Ahead Eagles—have cast a shadow over their performance. Despite playing well, the team appears to be struggling as issues reminiscent of the Brian Priske era resurface under Robin van Persie’s leadership.

The internal expectations at Feyenoord were high, particularly after their impressive start to the season. Under Van Persie’s guidance, the club had claimed the top position in the Eredivisie by the fourth matchday, aided by standout performances from Ayase Ueda, a resilient midfield bolstered by summer signings Sem Steijn and Luciano Valente, and a virtually impenetrable defense featuring Anel Ahmedhodzic and Tsuyoshi Watanabe.

However, much like the previous season, the squad is feeling the effects of numerous injuries, which disrupted their progress under former coach Brian Priske. Throughout the 2024-2025 season, a staggering twenty-four players were sidelined, some of whom suffered repeated injuries, with Ueda, Jordan Lotomba, and In-beom Hwang missing over a month of action.

Van Persie took over from Priske mid-season, and as injured players began to return, he managed to turn around what seemed like a lost season. Ultimately, Feyenoord finished in third place, eleven points behind champions PSV, securing a spot in the Europa League, with even a chance at the Champions League still within reach.

Currently, the injury situation is particularly inconvenient for Feyenoord, coinciding with crucial matches in the Europa League and the need to maintain a strong position in the Eredivisie. The list of injuries bears a striking resemblance to last season’s woes. However, Van Persie urges a distinction between the two situations, expressing his views during a press conference prior to the away match against VfB Stuttgart.

It is evident that Feyenoord’s squad is under significant pressure. Fortunately, the international break has arrived, allowing the majority of the team some much-needed rest. Nevertheless, several players are still away on international duty, each of whom could also benefit from downtime. Timber and Valente are representing the Netherlands, Ueda and Watanabe are with Japan, Leo Sauer has been called up for Slovakia, and Targhalline will compete for Morocco. Anis Hadj Moussa is set to play for Algeria, Cyle Larin is traveling with Canada, and Gaoussou Diarra is participating in a friendly with Mali. For Van Persie, the hope is that these international players return unscathed from their commitments.