There had been fireworks and smoke, there had been tear gas and chaos in the city, there had been a half-hour delay for the players’ bus and there had been an exasperated opponent with a reputation that made Feyenoord’s supporters nervous about what lay ahead for their club. stood in Stade Vélodrome, in the heart of Marseille.
Still, it was just a matter of concern. On Thursday evening, Feyenoord held their own in what was previously regarded as the most important game for the club in twenty years. It was 0-0 at Olympique Marseille, which means that Feyenoord will play the final of the Conference League on May 25 in Tirana. A great achievement by the trainer Arne Slot, who was appointed this season. Opponent: AS Roma.
It was quite a trip, the three thousand Feyenoord fans must have thought when they left the stadium afterwards. Some had just arrived on Wednesday when images of mutual fights had already surfaced. In the French port city it was restless for two days.
In a video made by Marseille hooligans you saw a shirtless Feyenoord supporter with his hands in front of his face. Blood all over his body, even more so at the back of his scarred head. Then strange hands that disappeared in his trouser pockets. And this was just one of many robberies reported.
Elsewhere in the Mediterranean city, Feyenoord families were sitting at a table drinking quietly on Wednesday evening when hooligans armed with blackjacks showed up in front of their cafe. Fortunately, the owner quickly closed the shutters, they said afterwards. In some places the threat was so great that the police escorted the Dutch fans to their hotel.
For the sake of completeness: part of the legion also let themselves go in the picturesque streets near the old harbour. Due to all the chaos, the Feyenoord team bus arrived at the stadium later than planned. The club opted for a 15-minute delay. In vain. The bus, with a huge club logo, had dents made of stones.
Doubts at Feyenoord
All in all, it is the hectic scenes that are often just as much a part of a European football evening as the tension that the semifinals have caused for days. Especially in Rotterdam. There, round by round, they had come to believe more in the feasibility of Feyenoord’s first final since the UEFA Cup win in 2002 – just like the murder of Pim Fortuyn exactly twenty years ago.
The road to Marseille is almost automatically reminiscent of that tour de force at the time. Once again, Europe sees Feyenoord from its best side, although players from then believe that their team, with men like Edwin Zoetebier, Kees van Wonderen, Paul Bosvelt and Pierre van Hooijdonk, was slightly better than the Feyenoord of today. Just as tight, yes.
To be fair, the UEFA Cup was also a higher stage. It is the Europa League of today, the tournament above the Conference League. In fact, a greater price. But emotionally? Look at the packed squares in Rotterdam, Thursday evening, and see how much fun they have there, regardless of the result. The Conference League less prestigious? As if the food in a one-star restaurant is so much inferior to that of a two-star chef.
Cyriel Dessers
It must be said that Feyenoord weren’t exactly thrilled with this tournament when UEFA strategists announced it a few years ago. According to VI the Rotterdam-squad then questioned the added value of the tournament. From cynic to proud finalist, it is ironic.
To reach the final, Feyenoord had to draw at least in Marseille after the previous 3-2 victory in the Kuip. That seemed to do, although they were warned in advance about the atmosphere in Stade Vélodrome. Typically a “witches’ cauldron”, club icon Willem van Hanegem already predicted in his ADcolumn.
Yet Feyenoord does not seem impressed for a moment. It is a shock when striker Cyriel Dessers ends up on the ground after ten minutes, after a charge by Boubacar Kamara. It won’t, will it? Desserts remains. Feyenoord’s physio storms into the field, grabs his spray can to spray the damaged part and kneads a bit. After that it seems to be going again with Feyenoord’s main goalscorer, with ten goals also top scorer in the Conference League.
No Feyenoord player is as popular as Dessers. Recently, some Feyenoord fans set up a crowdfunding to be able to pay his lump sum at KRC Genk. A wealthy Rotterdammer even offered to pay the four million out of his own pocket. A scoring striker, they have not always known that luxury in De Kuip.
Marseille had to continue without its best player after half an hour. Stumbling, playmaker and free kick specialist Dimitri Payet left the field. However, his replacement, former Ajax striker Arek Milik, immediately got a big chance. One of the few good opportunities created by Marseille’s not-too-great team.
Feyenoord didn’t get those chances either. That wasn’t necessary either. Survival was enough. Feyenoord can do that too.
A version of this article also appeared in the newspaper of May 6, 2022