Surprise at ‘amazing’ Feyenoord over 7-1 win in Europa League
NOS Football–
Lock: ‘Shachtar are not used to this intensity in the league’
Arne Slot has expressed surprise that things went so easily in the Europa League match against Shachtar Donetsk. After the 1-1 in the outward game, Feyenoord won as much as 7-1 at De Kuip. The difference was in the intensity and effectiveness, thought both Slot and Oussama Idrissi.
“I thought Sjachtar had a better first half hour than last week. They managed to build up well with regularity,” Slot looked back. “But against this intensity they are not used to playing in the league.”
Making good choices
“I think defensively we were good and put intensity on the mat with continuous chasing and making good choices on the ball. We are known for that,” thought Idrissi, who scored twice. “We were efficient with the chances. That has been different in recent weeks.”
Idrissi: ‘If you make European 2-0, 3-0, then it’s just done’
Idrissi: “In recent weeks we were often good until the last part of the pitch. There we were impatient, but today we were more secure. Then when you score a couple of goals quickly, it creates more space and it becomes a lot easier.”
At halftime, Feyenoord were leading 3-0 and Idrissi feared a little for his place in the team at that point. “I would have understood if Slot had substituted me. Things were going a bit stiff on the left, but fortunately the coach left me on. And then I became matchwinner,” said the maker of the fourth and fifth goals.
Feyenoord did not slow down until after the seventh goal, after which Kevin Kelsy provided the Ukrainian honorary goal. It earned Shachtar applause from the Rotterdam supporters. “That meant a lot to us,” said coach Igor Jovićević.
‘Great Feyenoord’
The Croatian had seen “a great Feyenoord”. “One team was better than the other tonight. That’s soccer. We gave everything. All the mistakes we made resulted in a counter goal. The penalty (which meant 3-0, ed.) was the final tap for us.”
For Feyenoord, on the contrary, it was a game that gave extra confidence ahead of Sunday’s Klassieker against Ajax. “It’s nice when you step off the pitch with a win like that,” Slot said. Idrissi indicated “that everyone feels good about themselves. Then you go into the next match feeling good.”
Finally, Slot and Idrissi looked ahead to the draw for the quarter-finals of the Europa League. “I hope for an opponent where you have the greatest chance of going through,” Slot said.
The hired Idrissi is hoping for a showdown with employer Sevilla, only to add with a wink to the press, “At least then you will also come in a nice warm country.”
