Worries about Gernot Trauner at Feyenoord: ‘Race against the clock’ | Football

sport">At the press conference exactly 48 hours before the start of the match against Ajax, Slot was therefore unable to give a definite answer about the participation of the mandekker. “We will see on Saturday if he can train with us and if he trains if he is ready to play. We are hopeful that he will at least go out, but I find it difficult to put a percentage on that. It will be a race against time.”

sport">Trauner previously had to deal with a muscle injury in his thigh and it seems to be playing tricks on him again. The defender could have gone further against FC Twente, but then he would have gotten himself even further into trouble. It remains to be seen whether he has stopped in time as a precaution.

Defensively in order

sport">The dropping out of Trauner would be a big blow to the bill at Feyenoord, which in recent months, partly thanks to the tough but fair playing last man, often had his affairs in order defensively and is experiencing an unexpectedly good first half year under Slot. Trauner already has 24 duels to his name and in that entire period he recorded only one yellow card.

sport">With the self-trained Lutsharel Geertruida, the Rotterdammers have a good central defender up their sleeve. The 21-year-old Geertruida can also play well as a right back, but Norwegian Marcus Pedersen seems to have driven him out there. In an extremely busy season, with more European matches than ever before the winter break, Feyenoord has needed both players badly. Despite an injury, which kept him sidelined until mid-September, Geertruida is already on eighteen games. He can play against Ajax in the center and he will be linked to Marcos Senesi if Trauner does not make it.

sport">The defeat at FC Twente in the cup tournament was a big downer for Feyenoord, but the confidence in the team is still great. Also against FC Twente, the team from Rotterdam dominated the field for most of the match and in this entire season the team only suffered two defeats in the competition (away at FC Utrecht and away at Vitesse). Goalkeeper Justin Bijlow is also out for revenge after his (expensive) mistake in Enschede.

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