Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at 3:45 PM• Wessel Antes

Gernot Trauner could start against Shakhtar Donetsk and Ajax in Feyenoord’s starting eleven. That is what Feyenoord coach Arne Slot says on Wednesday afternoon during the preparatory press conference for the return of the diptych with Shakhtar (score 1-1). However, the 44-year-old coach did not yet want to reveal whether he will immediately line up his routine on Thursday evening. “You’ll see tomorrow whether he gets a basic place right away”, the journalists present were told.

Trauner suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury in December last year. However, the thirty-year-old Austrian recovered faster than expected and already participated as a substitute in the duels against Fortuna Sittard (2-4 win, thirteen minutes), sc Heerenveen (0-1 win, two minutes) and Shakhtar (34 minutes). Feyenoord awaits two crucial matches this week. On Thursday, the team from Rotterdam will play the second eighth final of the Europa League against Shakhtar in their own Kuip at 6.45 pm, after which a crucial Classic against Ajax is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 2.30 pm.

According to Slot, Trauner is on the right track in his recovery. “Trauner is in very good shape because he has been fit for a while. It is also a player who has played a maximum of half an hour in recent weeks. We were very happy that it went well, because it is completely different when you train or play a match. Anyone who has played football knows that the pace is different. Trauner has been out for four months and then you want confirmation that you are still at that level. That is why it was very good what he showed last week.”

However, Slot refuses to reveal whether the Kale Kletseras Trauner in a documentary by ESPN was mentioned, will start in the base. “The expectations are that he will play more in the coming weeks than in the past four months. You’ll see tomorrow whether he gets a basic place right away. It is difficult to start counting to Sunday already, we never do that. Except when a player is not fit. In short: Gernot can start tomorrow and start on Sunday.” Feyenoord cannot yet have Quinten Timber (knee injury), Justin Bijlow (wrist injury) and Patrik Wålemark (muscle injury) on Thursday and Sunday.