Feyenoord vs AC Milan facts

Feyenoord's first foray into the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds pits them against fellow former European champions AC Milan in the first leg of their knockout phase play-off in Rotterdam.

The Dutch side, who parted company with coach Brian Priske on 10 February, finished 19th in the league phase on 13 points, with Milan – who are themselves in the knockout stage for only the second time in 11 seasons – two points and six places better off.

Previous meetings

1969/70 European Cup second round
Milan 1-0 Feyenoord
Feyenoord 2-0 Milan
Holders Milan scored the only goal of the first leg at San Siro through Néstor Combin after nine minutes, but strikes in each half from Wim Jansen (6) and Willem van Hanegem (81) turned the tie in the Dutch side's favour at the Stadion Feijenoord 'De Kuip'.

Feyenoord went on to win Netherlands' first European Cup with a 2-1 extra-time defeat of Celtic at Milan's San Siro home.

Form guide

Feyenoord

Record vs Italian clubs: W8 D6 L9 F26 A32
Home record vs Italian clubs: W6 D4 L1

The Dutch side's last three European campaigns have all ended in defeat against Roma – most recently in last season's UEFA Europa League knockout phase play-offs (1-1 h, 1-1 a, 2-4 pens).

Feyenoord had lost 4-2 on aggregate to the Italian side in the quarter-finals of the same competition the previous season, and 1-0 in the inaugural UEFA Conference League final in Tirana in 2022.

The Rotterdam club won four of their five seven games against Serie A sides (D1 L2) but have managed only four victories in their subsequent 16 (D5 L7).

The draw against Roma last season ended a run of four successive victories at home to Italian visitors, since the sole defeat – 1-2 against Roma in the 2014/15 Europa League round of 32 second leg (2-3 agg).

Last season's loss to Roma made Feyenoord's aggregate record in two-legged ties against Italian teams W2 L3 with defeats in the last three.

The Rotterdammers are making their seventh appearance in the Champions League proper, appearing in the competition for successive seasons for the first time since 2002/03. This is only the third time they have featured in the last 22 campaigns.

European champions in 1970, Feyenoord have never before reached the Champions League knockout rounds, although they did make the second group stage in 1999/2000.

In 2023/24, Feyenoord were third in Group E behind Atlético de Madrid and Lazio. Arne Slot's side moved across to the Europa League but lasted a single tie, losing to Roma in the knockout round play-off.

This season's defeats by Bayer Leverkusen (0-4) and Salzburg (1-3) have made it three in Feyenoord's last 22 home European fixtures (W16 D3) – all in their last six games (W2 D1) – although they did beat Bayern München 3-0 in the most recent on Matchday 7.

Champions of the Netherlands for the 16th time in 2022/23, Feyenoord were second behind PSV Eindhoven in 2023/24. The Rotterdam club did lift the Dutch Cup for the 14th time, and the first since 2017/18, before Slot departed for Liverpool to be replaced by Priske.

Milan

Record vs Dutch clubs: W12 D6 L9 F28 A28
Away record vs Dutch clubs: W4 D4 L5

Milan have not played Eredivisie opponents since drawing 1-1 away and 0-0 at home against Ajax in the 2013/14 Champions League group stage.

That made it four games unbeaten against Dutch clubs (W1 D3) since a 0-2 home defeat by Ajax on Matchday 6 of the 2010/11 Champions League, although the Rossoneri have managed only two victories in their last ten matches against Dutch clubs (D5 L3).

The Italian side have drawn their last three games in Netherlands, all 1-1; a 3-1 victory at Heerenveen in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup group stage is their only victory in their last six visits (D3 L2).

Milan's last knockout tie against a team from Netherlands was a 4-1 aggregate success against PSV Eindhoven in the 2013/14 Champions League qualifying play-offs, making their two-legged record versus Dutch clubs W4 L2 with wins in the last four.

Milan are making their fourth successive appearance in the Champions League and a 21st overall.

The Rossoneri were Champions League winners in 1994, 2003 and 2007 and runners-up in 1993, 1995 and 2005.

The seven-time European champions reached the knockout rounds for the first time since 2013/14 in 2022/23, going on to the semi-finals, but last season finished third in their group and eventually losing an all-Italian Europa League quarter-final against Roma.

Milan have won only 14 of their last 39 Champions League games (D9 L16). This season's victories at Real Madrid (3-1) and Slovan Bratislava (3-2) have made it six wins in 21 away matches (D6 L9), although they have also lost at Leverkusen (0-1) and, on Matchday 8, GNK Dinamo (1-2).

Milan were second in Serie A in 2023/24, the third time in four seasons they had finished in the top two.

Stefano Pioli was replaced in the summer after five years as Milan coach, Paulo Fonseca appointed as his successor before himself making way for Sérgio Conceição in December.

Links and trivia

Santiago Giménez moved from Feyenoord to Milan during the winter transfer window after 65 goals in 105 games across all competitions for the Dutch club, whom he had joined in July 2022.

Have also played in Netherlands:
Tijjani Reijnders (Zwolle 2016–17, AZ Alkmaar 2017–23)

Have played in Italy:
Dávid Hancko (Fiorentina 2018/19)
Facundo González (Juventus 2023–, Sampdoria 2023/24 loan)

Latest news

Feyenoord

On Monday Feyenoord announced the departure of coach Brian Priske, with Under-21 boss Pascal Bosschaart named as his temporary replacement the following day.

A 3-0 derby victory against Sparta Rotterdam on Saturday was Feyenoord's first since Matchday 7.

The Rotterdam club were without a win in four Eredivisie matches (D1 L3), those three defeats as many as in their previous 50 league outings.

Feyenoord had lost their previous three matches in all competitions – their longest run of defeats since five successive reverses in December 2015-January 2016.

The 6-1 loss at Lille on Matchday 8 – Feyenoord's joint-biggest European defeat and a match in which Gernot Trauner became the first player to score two own goals in a single European Cup game – was their heaviest since a 6-0 Eredivisie reverse at Groningen on 30 October 2011.

Feyenoord have since lost 2-1 at Ajax in the Eredivisie on 2 February and, three days later, 2-0 at PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Cup quarter-finals.

Justin Bijlow has been ruled out for a lengthy period after being forced off in the first half at Lille with a knee injury.

Calvin Stengs has not played since replaced early in the second half on Matchday 7 with a hamstring problem; Ramiz Zerrouki missed that match with a leg injury and has not played since.

Trauner has missed the last two games having picked up a knock at Ajax.

Quilindschy Hartman came on as a late substitute at Ajax – his first appearance since suffering a knee injury on 31 March – and played the first half on Saturday.

January signing Jakub Moder made his Feyenoord debut at Ajax; he was the 32nd player to represent the club in this season's Eredivisie, a new competition record.

Milan

On Saturday goals in the final quarter from substitutes Rafael Leão and Santiago Giménez, the latter on his Serie A debut after signing from Feyenoord, gave Milan a 2-0 win at Empoli despite Fikayo Tomori's dismissal early in the second period.

Giménez is the first Mexican to score for Milan in Serie A and only the third to find the net in the Italian top flight, after Johan Vásquez and Hirving Lozano.

Milan conceded an added-time equaliser to draw 1-1 against Inter on 2 February.

Tijjani Reijnders had given Milan the lead, his 11th goal of the season – and seventh in Serie A. His previous best was seven for AZ Alkmaar in 2022/23.

Kyle Walker made his Milan debut against Inter.

Two more new arrivals – Giménez and João Félix – made their first appearances as substitutes in a 3-1 home win against Roma in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals on 5 February, the latter scoring Milan's third goal from a Giménez assist after Tammy Abraham's double.

Emerson Royal has not played since being replaced early on against Girona on Matchday 7 due to a calf problem.

Malick Thiaw came on in the second half on Saturday having not played since suffering a thigh injury in a 2-1 win at Como on 14 January.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been out since Matchday 6 with a thigh injury.

Alessandro Florenzi has not played this season due to a knee injury.