Feyenoord vs Excelsior – News and Probable Lineups

Feyenoord is set to resume their Eredivisie campaign on Sunday, welcoming city foes SBV Excelsior to De Kuip for the latest Rotterdam derby.

This fixture arrives at a critical juncture for the home side, who are keen to secure their hold on second place in the rankings while applying pressure on those in close proximity as the season draws to a close, whereas the away team faces the looming danger of relegation after an unfortunate streak of four consecutive losses.

Match overview

Feyenoord’s recent away trips have only yielded one point from two matches in the Eredivisie; nevertheless, they maintain second place ahead of NEC Nijmegen, a position that ensures automatic qualification for next year’s UEFA Champions League.

Under head coach Robin van Persie, Feyenoord has seen their exit from both the KNVB Cup and the UEFA Europa League, thus focusing solely on league matters as they look to finish behind PSV Eindhoven in the title race.

The pressure still looms large over Van Persie’s squad as slipping from second place could be a significant blow, necessitating urgent improvements, especially in away games, to keep ahead of the pursuing teams.

Currently, Feyenoord has not recorded a win in their last two fixtures; they lost 2–0 to fellow title contenders FC Twente earlier this month, ending a run of three straight wins, though they managed to salvage a point with a 3–3 draw away at NAC Breda last weekend.

Despite their erratic form on the road, De Stadionclub has proven formidable at home this season, with nine victories, one draw, and three losses, enjoying a remarkable 13-match winning streak at De Kuip since their last home defeat on November 23 against NEC, which ended 4–2.

In this fixture, Feyenoord holds an impressive record, having triumphed in their last five encounters with Excelsior while enduring only three defeats in the previous 20 meetings, the last of which occurred in February 2019.

In the 57 matchups between these teams, Feyenoord clearly leads the rivalry with 47 wins compared to just eight losses and two draws.

Excelsior has plunged into a fierce relegation tussle due to their four-match losing streak, now just two points clear of Telstar in the playoff spot, meaning that another defeat could bring them perilously close to the relegation zone.

The Kralingers were merely three points shy of the top half of the table at the year’s start, but a challenging beginning to 2026 has gradually pulled them deeper into a fierce battle for survival in the Eredivisie.

A heavy 5–1 defeat against PSV initiated a five-match winless streak for Ruben den Uil’s side, although they briefly halted this slump with a 2–0 win over NAC Breda on February 6 before slipping back into poor form with four consecutive losses, leaving them in 15th place.

Excelsior’s away form this season consists of three victories, three draws, and six losses, accumulating a respectable 12 points on the road, with their latest away success coming in February against NAC Breda.

During their earlier encounter this season in August, Excelsior took an early lead with a ninth-minute goal from Derensili Sanches Fernandes, only for Feyenoord to bounce back before halftime with goals from Ayase Ueda and Sem Steijn to secure a comeback win.

Team News

Van Persie is currently contending with an expanding list of injuries at Feyenoord, with Jeremiah St. Juste and Luciano Valente being the latest additions to the roster of sidelined players.

St. Juste left training prematurely last weekend after less than 30 minutes and subsequently missed the draw against NAC Breda, while Valente was taken off at the beginning of the second half of that game due to a suspected injury, but the situation does not seem to be overly serious.

On a brighter note, Moroccan midfielder Oussama Targhalline made a return from a leg injury during the match against NAC Breda, coming on to replace Valente.

Defender Anel Ahmedhodzic will miss Sunday’s clash due to suspension after receiving a yellow card against NAC Breda.

Feyenoord’s injury concerns also extend to Shaqueel van Persie, Givairo Read, Malcolm Jeng, Gernot Trauner, Thomas Beelen, Shiloh ‘t Zand, Sem Steijn, Leo Sauer, and Gijs Smal, all of whom remain out due to varying injuries.

For Excelsior, Arthur Zagre is set to rejoin the squad after serving a one-match suspension from accumulating too many yellow cards against SC Heerenveen.

Meanwhile, Miliano Jonathans came on as a substitute in the last match but had to be substituted shortly after due to a suspected injury.

Emil Hansson and Calvin Raatsie are still unavailable due to thigh and shoulder injuries respectively, while Chris-Kévin Nadje has not featured in Excelsior’s last two matchday squads and is also expected to be absent this weekend.

Feyenoord probable starting XI:

Wellenreuther; Deijl, Watanabe, Kraaijeveld, Bos; Hwang, Targhalline, Moder; Moussa, Sterling, Ueda

SBV Excelsior probable starting XI:

Van Gassel; Bronkhorst, Widell, Meissen, Zagre; Yegoian, Schouten, Hartjes; Fernandes, De Regt, Naujoks

This matchup seemingly favors Feyenoord significantly on paper, yet their recent instability coupled with Excelsior’s urgent desire to end their losing streak could lead to an engaging contest with opportunities for both sides.

Nevertheless, Feyenoord’s superior quality and exceptional home form at De Kuip should ultimately be the deciding factors, allowing them to continue their stronghold in this rivalry.