Champions League | League Stage

Nov 6, 2024 at 8pm UK

Stadion Feijenoord

Feyenoord vs Salzburg

Match preview

Feyenoord have never made it past the group stage in the Champions League, but there's hope they'll make it through to the knockout rounds this season. They've already got six points from nine, so they're doing pretty well.

After losing 4-0 at home to Bayer Leverkusen on matchday one, Feyenoord have since travelled to Spain and Portugal to beat Girona 3-2 and Benfica 3-1 respectively. They secured maximum points against the latter a fortnight ago. It's the first time since 1971 that they've won successive European Cup/Champions League away games.

We're now approaching the halfway point in the UCL league phase. Brian Priske's team is currently sitting in 16th place in the 36-team table, just one point behind the top eight. Wednesday's game against Salzburg is a great chance for Feyenoord to get a win, but the real tests are still to come with Manchester City and Bayern Munich.

Since beating Benfica, the Rotterdam-based outfit have had mixed fortunes in the Eredivisie. They lost 2-0 at home to Ajax, but then beat Utrecht 2-0 and AZ Alkmaar 3-2. They beat AZ Alkmaar last weekend, so they're still fourth in the table, three points behind second-placed Ajax, who have a game in hand.

Feyenoord, who have won three of their last four home games, are now preparing to welcome Austrian opposition to De Kuip for the first time since they beat Sturm Graz 6-0 in the Europa League in September 2022.

Red Bull Salzburg are one of nine clubs who are still looking for their first win in the 2024-25 Champions League. They are also one of six teams who have not yet picked up a single point after three matches.

The Austrian champions have had some disappointing results recently, losing 2-0 at home to Dinamo Zagreb in their most recent European match a fortnight ago. Overall, they've lost by an aggregate score of 9-0, with the other two losses being to Sparta Prague and Brest.

Ex-Liverpool assistant coach Pepijn Lijnders says his team will 'learn and come back stronger' from their poor start in the league phase. But it's tough to see where they'll get valuable points in the coming weeks and months, as Wednesday's clash against Feyenoord will be followed by encounters with Leverkusen, PSG, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.

While Salzburg are currently sitting at 34th in the 36-team UCL table, they're also in third place in the Austrian Bundesliga standings, five points behind second-placed Rapid Vienna who've played two games more. They were held to a frustrating 0-0 home draw with 10 men by basement club Grazer AK on Saturday.

The Red Bulls will be eager to put an end to their eight-game winless streak in the Champions League when they head to the Netherlands on Wednesday. It'll be their first trip there since they beat Ajax 3-0 in the Europa League back in February 2014.

Recent Performance

Feyenoord Champions League form:LWW

Feyenoord form (all competitions):WWWWLW

Red Bull Salzburg Champions League form:DWDLLL

Red Bull Salzburg form (all competitions):LLWLDD

Team News

Feyenoord will be without last season's top scorer Santiago Gimenez (hip), Calvin Stengs, Quilindschy Hartman (both knee), Jordan Lotomba, Ayase Ueda (both hamstring) and this season's leading scorer Antoni Milambo (unspecified) – who has six goals to his name – due to injury.

Gjivai Zechiel has recovered from his ankle injury, but the 20-year-old isn't expected to start in centre midfield ahead of either Hwang In-beom, Quinten Timber or Ramiz Zerrouki.

Brighton loanee Ibrahim Osman scored as a substitute against AZ last weekend and will be hoping to force his way back into the first XI ahead of either Igor Paixao or Luka Ivanusec, who also scored last time out. Julian Carranza is the most likely candidate to lead the line.

Red Bull Salzburg are set to be without Gaoussou Diakite (hip), Fernando, Petar Ratkov (both thigh), Takumu Kawamura (knee) and Moussa Yeo (ankle) due to injury.

Alexander Schlager is suspended after being sent off in the defeat to Dinamo Zagreb on matchday three, so Janis Blaswich is set to start in goal, protected by centre-back duo Kamil Piatkowski and Samson Baidoo.

It looks like Liverpool loanees Stefan Bajcetic and Bobby Clark will both be in contention to start in midfield, while Karim Konate, who has scored a team-high six goals this term, is set to be joined in attack by Oscar Gloukh and Adam Daghim.

Possible starting lineups

Feyenoord possible starting lineup:

Wellenreuther; Read, Beelen, Hancko, Bueno; Zerrouki, Hwang, Timber; Osman, Carranza, Paixao

Red Bull Salzburg possible starting lineup:

Blaswich; Dedic, Piatkowski, Baidoo, Terzic; Bidstrup, Diambou, Clark; Daghim, Konate, Gloukh