Injury-stricken Feyenoord side draw against AC Milan to advance in the Champions League

Feyenoord's remarkable UEFA Champions League adventure will continue for at least two more matches. The injury-stricken team fought to a 1-1 draw away to AC Milan, who played almost half a match with ten men. This was enough to put them through to the last 16 after the 1-0 win in the home game against the Italian side last week.

Feyenoord were powerless against AC Milan for over a half of football without ten of their players. The situation changed after the 51st minute when Theo Hernandez was given a second booking. Szymon Marciniak, the man who refereed the last World Cup final, punished the French defender after he had dived in an attempt to win a penalty.

Julian Carranza, who came on in the 64th minute, profited from the situation of an extra man. He headed home in the 73rd minute from a cross by Hugo Bueno.

The victory over two matches against the seventh-place Italian team makes Feyenoord’s European campaign all the more impressive. The club beat Benfica (1-3), Girona (2-3), Sparta Prague (4-2), and Bayern Munich (3-0) and draw against Manchester City (3-3).

An injury hit Feyenoord team beat AC Milan 1-0 in De Kuip in Rotterdam last week. Looking at these results, it is baffling that the Rotterdammers are so inconsistent in the league. Feyenoord is currently fourth in the Eredivisie, with a 14-point deficit to league leaders Ajax.

Feyenoord has never had this many players out through injury as this season. Ten players were not fit enough for the match against AC Milan. Interim manager Pascal Bosschaart started the match with 18-year-old Zépiqueno Redmond up front and defender Hugo Bueno as left winger. Igor Paixao dropped back to the midfield to make space for the Spaniard.

Bosschaart’s team has not conceded a goal in their last three games. However, AC Milan scored after just 37 seconds. Out of all players, it was Santiago Gimenez, who played for Feyenoord as little as a month ago, who scored with a header. Defender Thomas Beelen had lost him for the goal.

Feyenoord are not only benefitting from these good performances in Europe in a sporting sense. The club will receive 11 million euros for reaching the last 16. The income from the most important tournament for club teams has already risen to over 70 million euros for Feyenoord, including receipts.