Feyenoord can have Alireza Jahanbakhsh in the play-offs of the Conference League against Elfsborg on Thursday. The 28-year-old right wing attacker had to miss the match against Willem II (0-4 win), but has recovered. Because addition Fredrik Aursnes is not eligible to play, Jens Toornstra will return to midfield.
Arne Slot is naturally happy with the return of Jahanbakhsh. “He participated in everything yesterday and that looked good,” said the trainer at the press conference on Wednesday. “Today I have not spoken to anyone from the medical staff that it is wrong. I expect him at the kick-off.” This makes Feyenoord’s position a fill-in exercise, because Slot has been starting with more or less the same eleven players for weeks.
Feyenoord is favorite against Elfsborg, but Slot watches out for the current number four in Sweden. “Elfsborg has won eight of his last ten matches and drawn two. They are just below Malmö FF in terms of points, who come out in the play-offs of the Champions League. Jesper Karlsson played there until recently, that’s a good player. ” Slot already has the battle plan ready. “Hopefully impose our will on the opponent by being dominant on the ball. We have to prevent counters, we have been paying attention to that for weeks. In recent weeks, we have shown that in the past five or six duels, we have given away few opportunities.”
Justin Bijlow extended his contract on Wednesday until mid-2025. Slot showed at the press conference that he was very satisfied with his first goalkeeper. “Justin said it’s great for him, but I think it’s especially great for Feyenoord, that we managed to sign such a good keeper for such a long time. I think that too a bit of the policy choices we have made in recent months.” With this Slot refers to the choice to mainly use the available money to extend the contracts of talented players such as Tyrell Malacia, Orkun Kökçü, Luis Sinisterra and therefore also Bijlow.
Slot hopes to get another striker and right winger this transfer period. “Whether that will work, that is very much the question,” said the coach. “I think we need reinforcements in particular offensively. We are not in a position to have a whole wish list, which I always say to the scouts: get a good player. That is a fairly simple assignment, isn’t it. are looking for a striker and a winger.”
On Wednesday it was announced that Feyenoord Christian Conteh will be storing a season on a rental basis at Sandhausen from the 2.Bundesliga. For the rest, Slot does not expect any outgoing transfers, not even from Marcos Senesi, who was recently linked to Napoli in Italian media. “I have not heard anything about Marcos (in terms of offers, ed.), as long as I am at Feyenoord.”
Expected line-up Feyenoord: Bijlow; Pedersen, Trauner, Senesi, Malacia; Toornstra, Til, Kökçü; Jahanbakhsh, Linssen, Sinisterra