Feyenoord-Roma (almost) a year later: that’s why everything is different this time

You again. Less than a year before the Conference League final, Roma and Feyenoord are preparing to cross swords again. Although the challenge evokes sweet memories for the Giallorossi people – and decidedly less pleasant sensations for the Dutch fans – José Mourinho and Arne Slot will both find themselves facing an (almost) completely different opponent compared to the night in Tirana. In addition to having changed the stage – this time it’s played in the Europa League – and it’s a match involving two-way matches, some of the men available to the two technicians are no longer the same while the “survivors” are experiencing a different season from that of last year. In addition, the performance of the two teams in their respective leagues has also improved: Roma are currently third, in the full Champions League zone, while Feyenoord leads the Eredivisie with an 8-point lead over Ajax. In 2022, however, the Giallorossi had qualified in EL on the last day – finishing Serie A in sixth place – while the Dutch had finished the year third in the standings behind Ajax and PSV. However, it should be remembered that the final of the Kombetare Arena was played at the end of the season, so the comparison for now is to be considered only as an indicative thermometer.

ROME

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But it is above all the two roses that have changed. First of all that of the Special One which, compared to last May 25, can no longer count on some of the protagonists of the Conference ride. The absence that stands out the most is certainly that of Nicolò Zaniolo, the former “hero of Tirana” who chose to leave the capital in January to try to be reborn with the Galatasaray shirt. They also greeted Veretout and Mkhitaryan: in the last act of the competition it was the Frenchman who replaced the Armenian, who left the field after 15 ‘with a muscle problem. For the moment, the sale of the former number 22 has brought just over 15 million to Trigoria’s coffers (waiting to collect the bonuses provided in the agreement with the Turks), while the Frenchman has been paid 11 million by Marseille. ‘Miki’ instead had decided not to renew his contract with Roma and accept Inter’s offer. However, in addition to the players sold, things have changed for some of the men who remained in Trigoria. Just look at the performance of Tammy Abraham, who had contributed substantially to winning the cup – 9 goals in the tournament and 27 overall – but who today seems to have been overtaken by Belotti in the coaching hierarchies. Lorenzo Pellegrini, on the other hand, remains one of Mou’s loyalists but, even for the Roma captain, the current season is proving to be much more complicated than the previous one. The positive notes are Paulo Dybala and Georginio Wijnaldum, the two gifts for the Special One “packaged” by the Friedkins during the summer. La Joya, with 11 goals in the league and 4 in the cups, proved to be the true driver of the team who found the solution to the fasting of the other forwards in number 21. Gini on the other hand, after missing mid-season due to breaking his tibia, seems to have become irreplaceable for the coach who – since his return – has always sent him on the pitch in the last 12 games (7 appearances as a starter in 2023).

FEYENORD

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Compared to a year ago, the Slot roster has been turned upside down. The Dutch coach has lost some of the pillars of the team, sold in the summer, not exactly at sales prices. There are only six players who took the field in Tirana remained in Rotterdam: goalkeeper Bijlow as well as Geertruida, Trauner, Kocku, Pedersen and Jahanbakhsh. However, only Geertruida and Kocku should play on Thursday evening. The farewells of Sinisterra, Malacia, Aursnes, Senesi, Linssen and Dessers instead earned the Dutch 75 million euros. A treasure reinvested on the market and which seems to have led the red and white to make an unexpected leap in quality. Kocku took over the reins of the team – there are 12 goals in total so far – assisted by center forward Santiago Gimenez, who arrived last summer from Cruz Azul. There are 18 goals scored by the Mexican with Feyenoord, 5 of which in the 7 games played in the Europa League. A haul that helped make the Dutch attack the most prolific in the current Europa League with 21 goals in 8 games. On the other hand, Szymanski, in the midfield, and Hancko in the center of defense arrived to bring physicality. In a mix that proved to be fatal for Shakhtar Donetsk in the round of 16 and which now aims to take revenge on Mourinho’s team. Pellegrini and companions are warned: this time it will not be the same Feyenoord of Tirana.