Feyenoord will be looking to bounce back from their midweek disappointment when they return to the Eredivisie to face NAC Breda at Stadion Feijenoord on Sunday afternoon.
These two sides are part of the seven teams in the league currently on six points, though Feyenoord have played a game less than most around them barring Ajax.
Match preview
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Feyenoord have not made the type of start to the 2024-25 Eredivisie season that they would have been expecting, having only managed a single victory across their first four games of the new campaign.
That win came against PEC Zwolle in gameweek two, while their remaining three fixtures have all ended level, with the side drawing 1-1 against Willem II and Sparta Rotterdam before a 2-2 draw with Groningen last weekend.
All of those results came before the Pride of South's opening-round clash with Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, which they lost very poorly, with the reigning Bundesliga champions putting the game to bed by the halftime interval.
Xabi Alonso's men rattled in four goals in the first 45, and while Brian Priske's side had marginally more possession and more attempts at goal, they never really looked likely to get themselves back in the tie.
Undoubtedly, with just one win across all competitions so far, the pressure will be building on Priske, and the Danish tactician will know that another loss this weekend will certainly bring about questions regarding his suitability for the role.
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Meanwhile, NAC have made a mixed start to life back in the Eredivisie, earning six points from their first five games, which leaves them four points above the bottom two sides and a win this weekend could easily propel them into the top half of the table.
The Yellow Army's most impressive result this season came in week two when they pulled off a dramatic last-minute 2-1 victory over Dutch giants Ajax, with Jan Van den Bergh scoring the winner with virtually the last kick of the match.
However, they were unable to follow up on that result, losing the next two matches 2-1 to Utrecht and 4-0 to Heerenveen before edging Fortuna Sittard to a 1-0 victory at home last weekend.
Notably, though, Carl Hoefkens's side's both wins this season have come on their home patch, while their two away fixtures have ended in defeat, with the team conceding four goals in each of those games.
NAC have struggled against this opponent in recent times, losing each of their last three matches against them, conceding a total of 15 goals in that time, including seven in a single KNVB Beker matchup in March 2020.
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Team News
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In-beom Hwang will be eligible to make his league debut on Sunday having been issued his combined residence and work permit last week just before Feyenoord's Champions League opener.
However, the hosts do have a few notable absentees for this match, with Quilindschy Hartman (knee), Hugo Bueno (muscle), Calvin Stengs (knee) and Bart Nieuwkoop (knock), all ruled out through injury.
NAC will enter this match with three potential absentees, including midfielders Clint Leemans, Raul Paula and Fredrik Oldrup Jensen due to varying injuries, though the latter has not been ruled out entirely as yet.
Pogon Szczecin loanee Kacper Kostorz came off the bench to score the late winner for NAC against Fortuna Sittard, and the Pole will be hoping to make the starting 11 in attack this week.
Feyenoord possible starting lineup:
Wellenreuther; Lotomba, Beelen, Hancko, Smal; Zechiel, Nadje; Paixao, Timber, Hwang; Gimenez
NAC Breda possible starting lineup:
Bielica; Valerius, Greiml, Van den Bergh, Kemper; Garbett, Janosek, Sauer, Kaied; Omarsson
We say: Feyenoord 2-1 NAC Breda
While Feyenoord have been a long way from the type of league form we have become accustomed to seeing from them, this feels like a match that they should be taking all three points from.
NAC have already shown that they are not just in the top flight to make up the numbers this season, but we are going with the hosts to come out on top in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
