Feyenoord awaits a difficult away game against FC Twente in the second round of the TOTO KNVB Cup on Wednesday. This coming weekend, The Classic is also on the program against Ajax. That is precisely why trainer Arne Slot sees the cup match with the Tukkers as an advantage. “Otherwise, next Sunday’s match would have been constantly going through our minds,” said Slot on Tuesday at the press conference prior to the meeting with Twente.
Feyenoord played a 0-0 draw at the end of November in competition with FC Twente. Last weekend the team from Rotterdam also had the better of the game against FC Groningen (1-1), but they again suffered an expensive loss of points. The Feyenoord trainer does not know whether his team is waiting for the same kind of game on Wednesday evening as during these two draws. “Both matches are very similar. We didn’t give much away in both matches, but I would like it if we started creating chances earlier in the game,” says Slot.
“You are dealing with an opponent who puts an incredible amount of effort, energy and strength into making it impossible for us to create opportunities,” continues the Feyenoord trainer. “I’ve said it before, you’re also dealing with an opponent who puts an incredible amount of effort, energy and strength into making it impossible for us to create opportunities. Fifteen of the eighteen teams withdraw against us. That is the beauty of the coaching profession, that you can determine your own playing style. We have to look at what we can do better.”
It promises not to be an easy week for Feyenoord. After the cup match against Twente, The Classic awaits against Ajax on Sunday. Slot sees it as an advantage, however, that his club first plays an away match in the TOTO KNVB Cup in Enschede. “If you had to play against an amateur club at home, that match on Sunday would have been constantly on our minds. Now we are fully focused on Twente. We play against the number five in the Netherlands in an away match. We need all the attention and focus for that.”
Slot says in the run-up to the cup match that he does not intend to rotate much. “Justin Bijlow is just going to keep goalkeeping. We have fourteen, fifteen guys who can all play in the starting line-up. They show that constantly. Those same guys are in my head for tomorrow. We walked out on our own yesterday and had a very calm training today. I’ll let it sink in on how everyone got there, then we’ll decide how we start tomorrow.”