Feyenoord Back in the Big Time

Champions League | Preview

12/09/17

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Before last season, you needed to go back to the 1998/99 season to find the last time Feyenoord were crowned the champions of Holland. However, that all changed thanks to their Eredivisie success in 2016/17, giving them their first league title in 18 years.

While Feyenoord participated in the Europa League last season, the 2017/18 campaign will be their first in the Champions League group stages for some time and they will be the only representative from Holland in this seasons competition.

Their opponents in their first group game will be Manchester City. While Feyenoord must look back to the 2002/03 season to find their most recent participation in the Champions League group stage, Manchester City have become regulars.

Last season ended in disappointment at the Round of 16 stage as Pep Guardiola’s team were eliminated by Monaco over two legs. Manchester City reached the semi-final of the competition the season before but lost to eventual winners Real Madrid in the semi-final.

Feyenoord will not want to look back on their recent attempts in the Champions League as trends show they have failed to win any of their previous eight matches, losing each of the last seven.

Even at home they have struggled to pick up wins and while there have been draws against Juventus and Dynamo Kiev, there have been disappointing defeats at the hands of Newcastle United, Dynamo Kiev and Besiktas.

However, Feyenoord will look back to their participation in the Europa League last season for inspiration ahead of this match. Feyenoord defeated Manchester United at home 1-0 in the group stages and while they did not progress, the result highlights what they are capable of on their day.

Manchester City have been handed another difficult looking group stage draw in the Champions League and Guardiola knows this is going to be a tough match.

Trends show Manchester City struggle away from home in the Champions League and last season they failed to win any away match from the group stages onwards. There were draws at Celtic and Borussia Monchengladbach and defeats at Barcelona and Monaco.

In fact, Manchester City have won only one of their last eight away games in the Champions League group stages or beyond and will need to improve on that record if they are to go deep in the competition this season.

Conceding goals has been a problem and Manchester City have kept just one clean sheet in their previous twelve Champions League games and that came at Steaua Bucharest in the playoff round of the tournament last season.

While this is going to be a tough start to life in the Champions League for Feyenoord, it’s not going to be an easy game for Manchester City either, who struggle when asked to play away from home in the competition.

Feyenoord will fancy their chances of scoring a goal against a Manchester City team which does not keep clean sheets. They are on a thirteen-match winning run at home and while they may not get maximum points, a draw with both teams scoring is a distinct possibility.