The morning papers only sounded positive after Feyenoord’s resounding 7-1 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the round of 16 of the Europa League. The team of trainer Arne Slot left little of the Ukrainians and will go into the quarterfinals on Friday. Thanks to the victory, Feyenoord also travels to Amsterdam with a good feeling for the Classic against Ajax next Sunday.
“Maybe Ajax coach John Heitinga should still request all images of Feyenoord – Shakhtar”, opens The Telegraph. Heitinga said during the press conference on Thursday that he would only watch Feyenoord in extra time. “I hope they continue, but after extra time,” said the Ajax coach. “He may have missed something,” the daily continues. “Santiago Giménez opened the ball after nine minutes with a goal that reveals why he can grow into a real Feyenoord striker.”
The Telegraph speaks of a rarity. “Feyenoord has almost always been dominant in matches since Arne Slot has held sway in Rotterdam, but the word effective was rarely in the coach’s notebook. Until Shakhtar came to visit De Kuip. A goal show followed that is rarely shown in Europe The Rotterdammers did not know compassion when the competition was purely about the sporting battle.
Also the General Journal already looks ahead to the Classic and speaks of a ‘wonderful warm-up’. “Giménez, Kökçü, Idrissi, Jahanbakhsh and substitute Danilo drove keeper Anatoli Troebin insane. One hit was even more beautiful than the other. And the higher the score ran, the louder the Legion started to roar that Ajax ‘will die’ in Amsterdam on Sunday. They did that in slightly less friendly terms, but the message was clear. The supporters of Feyenoord even seem to be counting down to the Classic.”
“European evenings in stadium De Kuip, they continue to give undiminished pleasure under trainer Arne Slot”, writes Jan-Cees Butter Fidelity. The Feyenoord trainer now holds the record for the most European victories (fifteen). “The supremacy of Feyenoord was a reprimand for those who doubted whether the club had its sights on Shakhtar. Kelsy gave Shakhtar the honorary goal just before time, for which the entire stadium applauded. The You’ll never walk alone was at least as impressive after a beautiful evening in De Kuip.”
It NRC talks about a ‘rare relaxing evening’. “Due to the quick and wide lead, no unnecessary energy was wasted. Where this season is often won with hanging and strangling – often after falling behind, as recently against AZ and FC Volendam – Feyenoord was now after almost forty minutes and a 3-0 lead in unprecedented luxury. This is how Feyenoord, finalist in the Conference League last season, continues to impress European on the second level.”