Fireworks exploded outside the Kuip at the turnout in the clear, dark sky above South Rotterdam on Tuesday evening around nine o’clock. Hope was alive at Feyenoord for a much-needed victory to continue the wonderful adventure in the Champions League.
But on a cold football evening, Feyenoord did not claim this for a moment against a superior Atlético Madrid. The score was 1-3 in De Kuip, with two own goals from the home team. This ends a Champions League campaign for Feyenoord that started promisingly and in which the club presented itself well in Europe, but in which the good play was not sufficiently capitalized on.
Feyenoord advances to the Europa League, the second European club tournament, as number three in group E. Atlético Madrid and Lazio Roma secured a sequel in the eighth finals of the Champions League. Feyenoord’s last match, in two weeks at Celtic, is all about honour.
Convincing opening
Feyenoord opens convincingly, with the lightning-fast right winger Yankuba Minteh. He immediately sprints away in the first minute and shoots on goal in the second minute. A little later he punts wide, on a pass from Quinten Timber.
These are also the only minutes that Feyenoord stays close to Atlético. With a delicate tap on the outside of his left foot, Antoine Griezmann carelessly sends the Spanish striker Álvaro Morata away after twelve minutes. The chance for the opening goal, one-on-one with goalkeeper Justin Bijlow. He dares to wait a long time and stops with his right hand. Intense cheering sounds.
Shortly afterwards things went wrong at Feyenoord. A corner kick from Griezmann ends up with Marcos Llorente who again shoots it high. Nothing seems to be wrong when the ball goes over his teammate Axel Witsel, but then just rolls in via the thigh of Feyenoord defender Lutsharel Geertruida. Miscommunication? Chaos at Geertruida? In any case, it becomes quiet in De Kuip, except for a few thousand Madrilenians who have traveled along.
The goal drains energy from Feyenoord. That does not involve the familiar attacking game, often plays the long ball, where it normally builds up through well-thought-out combinations. It looks powerless. While Feyenoord dominated for long periods during the match in Madrid (3-2 defeat) at the beginning of October, things are now going too fast. Compared to that first game, Atlético is now in better shape – winning ten of the last twelve games.
Griezmann is playing phenomenally, leading the attack. He always finds the spaces between the lines and serves the free man with his excellent passing. Out of the corner of his eye he has seen exactly where the free man is standing every time. “In the small space he has, he can be very decisive in his actions. That makes him very special,” Feyenoord coach Arne Slot said on Monday.
Superb goal
Slot briefly puts his arm around Geertruida’s shoulder before the start of the second half, apparently to cheer him up after that own goal. He also gives some short tactical instructions. But less than two minutes later, Griezmann hit the post out of nowhere. It immediately sets the tone for the second half.
Feyenoord still gets a chance to equalize. A good interception from left back Quilindschy Hartman deep in Atlético’s half, he passes to striker Santiago Giménez, but he misses the ball completely. There is a sigh, everything is not going well tonight at Feyenoord.
And then, ten minutes after halftime, there is suddenly the beautiful 0-2. Substitute Pablo Barrios passes the ball, after which defender Mario Hermoso shoots diagonally across Bijlow and into the far corner. It is not clear whether he meant it exactly that way. That doesn’t matter to a Madrid radio commentator, who is euphoric in the press stand.
Fifteen minutes before the end, Feyenoord is suddenly back in the match. A corner kick from substitute Luka Ivanusec, midfielder Mats Wieffer nods exactly in the corner: 1-2. But the revival is short-lived. Once again Feyenoord scores an own goal, this time striker Giménez with his head from a free kick from Griezmann. 1-3. Match decided. And de facto the end of the Champions League adventure.
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