Will the stadium club extend their home streak?
With eleven points from a possible 15, Feyenoord Rotterdam are already confirmed as Group E winners in the Conference League with one matchday to go in the preliminary round. The Dutch have thus made it into the last 16 regardless of the outcome of the last match, while the visitors from Israel have already been eliminated. Accordingly, little is at stake in this match.
Even with the Israelis scoring just one goal in their five group games, which was even enough for a three-goal win in the 1-0 home victory over Slavia Prague, the odds are heavily stacked in favour of the Dutch in Feyenoord Rotterdam against Maccabi Haifa.
The traditional Dutch club has been extremely strong at home this season. All three games at De Kuip in the Conference League Quali were won, as were the two group games in front of their own fans. In all five home victories, the attack scored a total of 16 goals.
Virtually everything points to tip 1 being correct in this insignificant last group match between Feyenoord Rotterdam and Maccabi Haifa.
Feyenoord Rotterdam – Statistics & current form
Feyenoord Rotterdam is not only one of the most prestigious clubs in the Netherlands with 15 national championships and 13 cup wins. The stadium club is also a household name in Europe. In 1970, Club aan de Maas was the first Dutch club ever to win the European Champion Clubs’ Cup.
Moreover, the players from the important port city have already won the UEFA Cup twice – most recently in 2002. Only recently have things not gone too well on the international stage. In their last three appearances in the preliminary round of the Europa League, they have always failed to make it to the knockout phase.
Won all five home international matches in the 2021/22 season
This year, on the other hand, the stadium club has already secured its place as group winners ahead of time, thus even sparing itself the intermediate round in the new mode. Instead, Feyenoord will be among the best 16 teams in the Conference League round of 16 next March, which should also boost their hopes of winning another European title.
It is all the more important for the Club aan de Maas to build on their recent very impressive home record. The Dutch won all five of their international home matches in the 2021/22 season, scoring a total of 16 goals – an average of 3.2 per home match.
Unbeaten in eleven consecutive competitive games
All in all, the momentum of Arne Slot’s troops is also impressive. Feyenoord are unbeaten in eleven matches (eight wins, three draws) and warmed up at home against Fortuna Sittard (5-0) at the weekend.
With nine wins in their last 14 European home games (three draws, two defeats), Feyenoord Rotterdam’s betting on Maccabi Haifa is a no-brainer.
Predicted line-up of Feyenoord Rotterdam:
Marciano – Malacia – Senesi – Trauner – Pedersen – Kökcü – Aursnes – Sinisterra – Antonucci – Toornstra – Linssen
Last matches played by Feyenoord Rotterdam:
Eredivisie
12/05 2021 – Fey. Rotterdam 5 – 0 Fortuna Sittard
12/01 2021 – Fey. Rotterdam 2 – 1 Heracles Almelo
11/28 2021 – Twente Enschede 0 – 0 Fey. Rotterdam
Europa Conference League Grp. E
11/25 2021 – Sl. Prague 2 – 2 Fey. Rotterdam
Eredivisie
11/21 2021 – Fey. Rotterdam 4 – 0 PEC Zwolle
Maccabi Haifa – Statistics & current form
Maccabi Haifa was founded back in 1913 and is one of the most successful teams in the country with 13 national championships and six cup victories. This summer, in the first year of new coach Barak Bakhar’s tenure, the Greens won their first league title in ten years.
However, the northern Israelis are currently unable to build on this coup. After twelve league games, they are only second in the ha’Al league behind Hapoel Be’er Scheva, while they have been pushed through internationally.
Only one goal in five group matches
Maccabi Haifa were first allowed to compete in the Champions League Quali, where they suffered a bitter defeat against Kairat Almaty directly in the 1st qualifying round. In the end, only the Conference League remained for the Greens. This is the first time the Northern Israelis have reached the group stage since the 2013/14 Europa League.
However, just like in their previous four appearances in the preliminary rounds of UEFA competitions, this time it was not enough to advance. Bakhar’s side have scored just one goal in five games and are in the red with four points from a possible 15.
Won only two of their last nine international away matches
The Israelis did manage to hold their opponents to a goalless draw at home on the first matchday. Given that only two of their last nine European away games have been won, another victory against Club aan de Maas seems extremely unlikely.
With no chance of reaching the knockout rounds, the Greens are likely to have their focus fully on their domestic tasks anyway.
Predicted line-up of Maccabi Haifa:
Cohen – Haziza – Goldberg – Gershon – Planic – Meir – Chery – Rodríguez – Abu Fani – David – Donyoh
Last matches played by Maccabi Haifa:
Ligat HaAl
12/05 2021 – Hapoel Nof HaGalil 0 – 4 Maccabi Haifa
12/02 2021 – Maccabi Haifa 5 – 1 Hapoel Haifa
11/28 2021 – Hapoel Tel Aviv 1 – 3 Maccabi Haifa
European Conference League Grp. E
11/25 2021 – Maccabi Haifa 0 – 1 Union Berlin
Ligat HaAl
11/07 2021 – Maccabi Haifa 4 – 0 Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona
Feyenoord Rotterdam – Maccabi Haifa Direct comparison / H2H record
The first leg on 14 September 2021 was the first and only clash between the two teams to date. The match at Sammy Ofer Stadium ended in a goalless draw.
Feyenoord Rotterdam – Maccabi Haifa Tip
When it comes to Feyenoord Rotterdam against Maccabi Haifa, the prediction has to take into account the starting position. The Dutch are already certain group winners, while the Israelis have been eliminated from the competition early. So no team has any reason to go all out again. A correspondingly quiet match, in which there could well be rotation, is therefore to be expected.
In view of the fact that the visitors from the north of Israel have scored only one goal in their five group matches so far, the tendency is clearly in the direction of the home side from the Dutch port city. After all, Feyenoord have lost just two of their last 14 European home games at home (nine wins, three draws).
There is a lot to be said for the stadium club, which also has a much better line-up than the visitors from Israel, extending its strong home streak. The Dutch won all five of their international home matches in 2021/22 and scored 16 goals.
