Feyenoord will have nets around the pitch again for hostile match against Ajax

Feyenoord will once again place nets around the pitch for their match against Ajax. The nets will be hung around the short and long sides of the stands. The grudge match, also known as De Klassieker, will be played on Sunday, September 1.

"The preventive measure meant to stop objects from being thrown onto the pitch will likely only be used for the Klassieker, a match that has a reputation of being hostile," the Rotterdam club reported on their website. "The decision was made after hearing various opinions."

The nets were hung in Feyenoord's stadium, De Kuip, last season, but they were taken down at the fans' request. "Partly due to the unchanged rules from the KNVB regarding throwing objects, the club announced at the time that the posts and nets would return for the remainder of the 2024-2025 season if a Feyenoord home game had to be interrupted or abandoned," the club said.

Matches are stopped the moment anything is thrown onto the pitch and can be abandoned completely if it continues to happen. This rule was brought in after former Ajax player Davy Klaassen was hit by an object in the Kuip last year, presumably a lighter. He was left with a head injury after the incident.

Feyenoord has four points after two Eredivisie matches this season. Ajax have three points, having won and lost one game.