Van Persie springs a surprise by selecting an unexpected defender for Feyenoord and hands a player his first start | Goal.com

Published on 12 Apr 2026 | Reading time: 1 minute

Second-placed Feyenoord travel to third-placed NEC on Sunday. Robin van Persie has finalised his starting XI for the De Goffert showdown. Kick-off in this Vriendenloterij Eredivisie top-of-the-table clash is set for 14:30.

Timon Wellenreuther will captain the side and start in goal for the Rotterdammers. Mats Deijl, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Thijs Kraaijeveld and Jordan Lotomba make up the back line for this top-of-the-table clash. Jordan Bos is absent from the matchday squad, while Gernot Trauner returns to the bench for the first time in ages. 

Oussama Targhalline, Luciano Valente and Jakub Moder anchor the midfield. In-beom Hwang and Sem Steijn remain sidelined with injuries.

Anis Hadj Moussa returns after missing the FC Volendam game, while Tobias van den Elshout—recently signed to a new De Kuip deal—is poised for his first senior start on the left wing. Ayase Ueda, the Eredivisie’s top scorer with 22 goals, leads the attack, while Raheem Sterling begins on the bench.

NEC line-up: Cretazz; Dasa, Sandler, Kaplan; Ouaissa, Sano, Nejasmic, Önal; Chery, Lebreton, Linssen

Feyenoord line-up: Wellenreuther; Deijl, Watanabe, Kraaijeveld, Lotomba; Targhalline, Valente, Moder; Hadj Moussa, Ueda, Van den Elshout.

Read the original news