Sparta Rotterdam vs. Feyenoord - prediction, team news, lineups

Rogier Meijer's archetypal competitory lucifer successful complaint of Sparta Rotterdam pits him against section rivals Feyenoord successful Sunday's derby to commencement their season.

The Eredivisie opener astatine Sparta Stadion sees 2 caller managers astatine the helm of the Rotterdam-based clubs, who chose to spell successful antithetic directions aft the 2025-26 season.

Match preview

Sparta were successful with a outcry of making the playoffs for a imaginable European berth aft the regular season, lone for a six-match winless tally to enactment paid to those prospects.

Four losses successful that play yet outgo De Kasteelheren their spot successful that four-team mini-tournament, with Sparta finishing 5 points down 10th-placed Groningen.

Paying the terms for conceding 62 goals — lone 4 of the 17 different teams fto successful much — the Castle Lords opted for a alteration successful managerial absorption with Maurice Steijn's declaration moving retired without a renewal.

If pre-season is an indicator of anything, this weekend's hosts person small oregon nary momentum up of their Eredivisie opener, considering their tally of 4 defeats against Meppen, Waregem, Asteras Tripolis and Duisburg, pursuing a three-match winning commencement to their tune-up for the commencement of the 2026-27 season.

Having kept cleanable sheets successful those 8-0, 4-0 and 1-0 successes implicit SV VELO, VOC and Telstar, Feyenoord volition invited facing a broadside that person fto successful 7 crossed the caller four, losing 2 during that time.

While Meijer is simply a caller look successful these parts, Giovanni van Bronckhorst returns to acquainted surroundings aft replacing the sacked Robin van Persie contempt the Stadium Club finishing arsenic runners-up and outscoring each but champions PSV Eindhoven and third-placed NEC.

Seventy goals could not prevention Van Persie, who ended the run winning 3 of the last 4 league matches, but yet paying the terms for a mid-season wobble that saw the Rotterdam giants spell from rubric contention to battling for a Champions League berth.

Reappointing Van Bronckhorst gives the erstwhile left-back a elemental remit: dethroning PSV — who are seeking a 4th consecutive rubric — to assertion his 2nd and De Stadionclub's 17th crown.

It was Van Bronckhorst who ended the club's 18-year hold for the Dutch top-flight title, and portion PSV's free-scoring broadside nether Peter Bosz volition instrumentality immoderate beating, supporters anticipation to assertion their 3rd crown successful the existent millennium.

A winning streak successful the off-season bodes good for a beardown start, adjacent if they volition retrieve January's 4-3 nonaccomplishment astatine De Kuip to their section rivals, which snapped their nine-year streak without a nonaccomplishment successful the derby.

Sparta Rotterdam friendlies form:

Feyenoord friendlies form:

Team News

Mitchel van Bergen missed Sparta's affable against Duisburg, and helium is reportedly an wounded uncertainty for the opener.

Without Tobias Lauritsen, scorer of 12 Eredivisie goals successful 25-26, who has joined Sampdoria, the Castle Lords volition look to others for game-changing contributions.

Shunsuke Mito scored 7 times successful the apical formation past season, and the wideman remains successful situ, aiming to instrumentality much attacking work aft past season's extremity contributions (10) — lone Lauritsen (17) had more.

While Feyenoord's lengthy wounded database has present eased, Jakob Moder (knee), Thomas Beelen (leg), Jordan Bos (knee) and Bart Nieuwkoop are absent.

Ayase Ueda was past season's apical goalscorer, and the 25-goal frontman aims to prime up wherever helium near disconnected against section rivals.

Anis Hadj Moussa's 17 nonstop involvements starring to goals outdid each but Ueda (26), highlighting his decisive qualities for the visiting side.

Sparta Rotterdam imaginable starting lineup:

Bednarek; Martes, Young, Verschuren, Kuipers; Roaldsoy, Santos; Terho, Van Cruijsen, Mito; Thorisson

Feyenoord imaginable starting lineup:

Ernst; Read, St Juste, Kraaijeveld, Marmol; Zechiel, Vanhoutte; Moussa, Valente, Diarra; Ueda

We say: Sparta Rotterdam 1-3 Feyenoord

Entering the caller play connected a five-match winning run, Feyenoord's superior match-winning prime should archer connected matchday one, arsenic De Stadionclub unafraid a comfy occurrence to statesman Van Bronckhorst's 2nd spell connected a winning note.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.