At Feyenoord, the injury problem remains an important theme in the run-up to the final phase of the season. Yet there are positive signals from the training complex, where several players are making progress in their recovery. Gernot Trauner, among others, has returned to the field, while Sem Steijn may also play this season.
Club watcher Martijn Krabbendam was present at the training complex on Friday and saw several players return to the field. ”I saw that Trauner was training again, of course with the group that is not eligible for a starting place. He will be back on the field,” says Krabbendam in the Dick Voormekaar Podcast. ”I saw Sauer pass by and Diarra has been back for a while. Sem Steijn also did something at the training complex this week. So a number of players are coming back from injuries. In the final phase of the competition that is nice for Van Persie, who then has more to choose from.”
Sem Steijn is struggling with a meniscus injury. Feyenoord previously communicated that Bart Nieuwkoop’s season is over, but this has not been definitively confirmed about Steijn. As a result, there is still a chance that the midfielder can make minutes this season. That image is reinforced by the fact that he has now returned to the training field, which indicates that the injury may be less serious than previously feared.
Heading into Sunday’s game, it remains to be seen which players will be available. The attack and midfield seem largely clear, but the situation at the back is less certain. Tsuyoshi Watanabe is still a doubt and the latest tests have to show whether he can play. Robin van Persie was unable to provide definitive clarity on the defender’s availability on Friday.
| Available on Sunday? | |
|
Thomas Beelen |
❌ |
|
❌ |
|
|
In-Beom Hwang |
❌ |
|
Malcolm Jeng |
❌ |
|
Bart Nieuwkoop |
❌ |
|
Shaqueel van Persie |
❌ |
|
Gijs Smal |
❌ |
|
Sem Steijn |
❌ |
|
Jeremiah St. Juste |
❌ |
|
Gernot Trauner |
❓ |
|
Leo Sauer |
❓ |
|
Givairo Read |
❓ |
|
Tsuyoshi Watanabe |
❓ |