LIVE FCSB – Feyenoord, duel in the 6th stage of the Europa League

After 5 matches played, the two teams are neighbors in the standings, both having three points each (one win, one draw and 4 defeats). The Dutch are on 30th, while the red-blues are one place lower, the difference being the goal difference.

UPDATE. 10:30: There will be around 25,000 fans at FCSB – Feyenoord

Around 25,000 spectators will see the match at the National Arena, despite the complicated situation in which the champion is. “About 25,000 per match, over 20,000, that's clear, maybe even 25 thousand”, announced Mihai Stoica.

Feyenoord will have 4,274 fans with FCSB in Bucharest

UPDATE. 10:15: FCSB only have 14 players for the match against Feyenoord

Mihai Stoica, the president of the FCSB Administrative Council, said that the Bucharest players will have 3 reserves on the bench for the match against the Dutch. Dawa, Popescu, Cercel, Alibec, Politic, Chiricheș, Bîrligea and Miculescu are not medically fit, while captain Darius Olaru is suspended. David Kiki left for the Benin national team for the Africa Cup of Nations.

“There are about 14 of us. If there are 14, three will be on the bench, but that's ok. We have one player in each compartment who can enter,” said Mihai Stoica, at Prima Sport.

LIVE at 22:00 » FCSB – Feyenoord

FCSB – Feyenoord, likely teams:

FCSB: Târnovanu – Pantea, Ngezana, Lixandru, Radunovic – Șut, Alhassan – Cisotti, Fl. Tănase, Oct. Popescu – Thiam
Reserves: Udrea, Zima, Crețu, Graovac, Edjouma, Toma
Absent: Kiki (in the national team), Olaru (suspended), Bîrligea, Dawa, Popescu, Cercel, Alibec, Politic, Chiricheș, Miculescu (injured)
Coach: Elias Charalambous

Feyenoord: Wellenreuther – Lotomba, Ahmedhodzic, Watanabe, Smal – Valente, Stejin, Targhalline – Hadj Moussa, Ueda, Sauer
Reserves: Bijlow, Bossin, Borges, Diarra, Kraaijeveld, Ouarghi, Plough, Sliti, Timber, Tengsted, S. Van Persie
Coach: Robin Van Persie

Stadium: National Arena
Referee: Mykola Balakin // Assistants: Oleksandr Berkut, Viktor Matyash (all from Ukraine)
VAR Referee: Daniele Chiffi // Assistant VAR: Viktor Kopievskyi

FCSB are still hoping to clinch a place in the European spring, being three points off 24th place, the last that secures qualification for the round of 16 play-off, with three games left to play in the group. But for that they have to win on the National Arena, despite the lot problems

So far, FCSB have beaten Go Ahead Eagles (1-0) and lost to Young Boys (0-2), Bologna (1-2), FC Basel (1-3) and Red Star (0-1). On the other hand, Feyenoord beat Panathinaikos (3-1) and lost to Braga (0-1), Aston Villa (0-2), Stuttgart (0-2) and Celtic (1-3).

What Elias Charalambous and Robin Van Persie said before FCSB – Feyenoord

The opponent is an attacking team, they prefer the 4-3-3 system and even if they sometimes change the style, the philosophy remains the same. They have valuable players, especially in lanes. They are fast, good in one-on-one duels. At this level, all footballers have quality. Ngezana is 100% ready to play. Bîrligea is certainly unavailable, and Miculescu has little chance of being fit. We will see in training, we have to evaluate Miculescu. It's not ideal to be short of players, but that's the situation and we have to find solutions.

– Elias Charalambous, FCSB coach

We know that FCSB's results have not been great either in the championship or in Europe. He's won just one of his last six games, we know that, but the results don't tell the whole story. I watched the last matches, when FCSB changed many players. I saw a lot of good moments when he had a clear game plan. We have to be ready, because it's a decisive match for both teams. Let's see how the teams will handle the moment, because clearly, both need the win.

It feels like a must-win match, because a draw is not enough. We are a team that likes to attack, that likes to have the ball, that likes to take risks, that keeps the defense as high as possible. This is what we aim for, this is what we do and this is what I expect.

– Robin Van Persie

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