Feyenoord defeated a Milan team to advance to the last 16 of the Champions League, earning a two-legged clash with another Milan club, Inter.
After finishing 19th in the league phase, Feyenoord faced Milan in the knockout round play-offs. They won the first leg 1-0 in Rotterdam and secured a 1-1 draw at the San Siro.
For the first leg of this tie, Feyenoord will be back at De Kuip. However, they may have a tougher challenge against Inter, who are currently leading Serie A and finished fourth in the Champions League group stage.
Team news
Feyenoord is dealing with multiple injuries, with players like Quinten Timber, Jordan Lotomba, Justin Bijlow, Bart Nieuwkoop, Gernot Trauner, Ayase Ueda, and Calvin Stengs all unavailable.
Inter is facing shortage in the wing-back position, as Matteo Darmian, Carlos Augusto, and Nicola Zalewski have been sidelined recently. Federico Dimarco is uncertain for the Feyenoord clash after coming off in the Napoli game, alongside midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu.
The stats
Feyenoord has been struggling to score goals, managing only three goals in their last four matches in all competitions.
Inter's defense has been exceptionally strong in the current Champions League campaign, keeping seven clean sheets and conceding only one goal in the group stage.
They have allowed just 25 goals in 27 Serie A matches this season.
Feyenoord has recorded three victories in their previous nine games, with a rough start signaled by a 6-1 loss to Lille.
Prediction
Inter's success in Europe has largely been due to their solid defense. A win for Inter without conceding seems probable.
Feyenoord displayed a defensively solid performance in their knockout round play-off matches against Milan, hinting at a potentially tight game.
However, Inter's defense has been formidable, conceding a single goal throughout the Champions League group stage.
They have demonstrated strength by securing wins without conceding against multiple opponents in the competition.
Despite Inter's absences in the wing-back position, the match against Feyenoord is expected to be a straightforward victory for the visitors given Feyenoord's injury setbacks.