The blockbuster fixture of matchday 32 in the Eredivisie will see heavyweights Feyenoord playing host to defending champions PSV Eindhoven at Stadion Feijenoord on Sunday afternoon.
With just three games remaining in the Eredivisie season, there is still everything to play for at the top end of the table, and three points for either team in this clash could prove decisive come the end of the season.
Match preview
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The 2024-25 Eredivisie season is shaping up to be one of the most captivating in recent memory, with the title race and battle for Champions League qualification set to go down to the wire.
Feyenoord currently occupy the Champions League qualifier spot, three points ahead of Utrecht in fourth place and five behind PSV directly above them, but they are coming into this match off the back of a dominant 4-1 victory away to Heracles, and as the form side in the league.
That result followed a 4-0 victory over PEC Zwolle and took Robin van Persie's side's league win streak to seven, while they have not tasted defeat in the top flight in 11 games dating back to early February.
Additionally, last week's victory at the Asito Stadion also earned Van Persie a club record, having now guided the team to their longest winning streak since Ernst Happel's side strung together eight consecutive victories back in 1969.
However, while the hosts are enjoying an impressive run under their new manager and are unbeaten in their last six home league games (W5 D1 L0), they have lost to this opponent twice already this season and are winless in their last four encounters against them across all competitions.
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Meanwhile, PSV's hopes of catching the league leaders were reignited last week when they secured a 4-1 home win over Fortuna Sittard, while Ajax dropped points for a second week in a row, drawing against Sparta Rotterdam.
With that, the defending champions trimmed the gap to the current league leaders to four points, and on paper, this match is the toughest of their final three, while De Godenzonen have Twente incoming on the final day of the season.
Peter Bosz also made his intentions about how he intends to approach this match clear in his pre-match press conference, where he mentioned that his side is "going to attack from the first minute."
The visitors have been in impressive goal-scoring form on the road lately, netting three times in each of their three away wins ahead of this match and two or more in eight of their last 10 league outings.
Team News
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Given Feyenoord's lengthy list of injury absentees, it is unsurprising that Van Persie decided to withdraw Hwang In-beom, Anis Hadj Moussa and Hugo Bueno at half time last week when they were already 3-0 up against Heracles.
The hosts have all of Calvin Stengs, Justin Bijlow, Bart Nieuwkoop, Chris-Kevin Nadje and Jordan Lotomba currently on the treatment table, while Julian Carranza and Facundo Gonzalez are major doubts for this weekend.
PSV also have several players ruled out with injury for this trip to Rotterdam, including Ismael Saibari, Jerdy Schouten, Rick Karsdorp, Lucas Perez, Wessel Kuhn and long-term absentee Ricardo Pepi.
Ivan Perisic has been enjoying a purple patch over the last few weeks, netting six goals and providing two assists in his last five league games, and he will almost certainly keep his place in attack this week, likely alongside Luuk de Jong and Noa Lang.
Feyenoord possible starting lineup:
Wellenreuther; Read, Beelen, Hancko, Bueno; Hwang, Milambo, Moder; Paixao, Ueda, Moussa
PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:
Benitez; Ledezma, Flamingo, Boscagli, Junior; Til, Veerman, Tillman; Perisic, de Jong, Lang
We say: Feyenoord 2-2 PSV Eindhoven
This is a massive match for these teams, as it could have a major impact on where they end in the league standings this season, and they both enter it on a good run of form.
While PSV have been the more successful in recent contests, Feyenoord are flying under Robin van Persie, and we feel there will be nothing to split them at the final whistle.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
