Why Kraaijeveld is suddenly in Feyenoord’s starting XI

Giovanni van Bronckhorst believes Feyenoord can hurt Inter in their Champions League match, but warns that the Rotterdam side cannot afford any mistakes. Ahead of kick-off at De Kuip, the coach tells Ziggo Sport where he believes their chances lie against the Italian giants.

"There's always a chance, especially when we're playing at home," Van Bronckhorst says when asked whether Feyenoord can pull off a shock. "I think we've always achieved good results against big opponents in recent years. We can do that tonight too, but everything has to be right."

Van Bronckhorst hopes his side can again draw on De Kuip's special atmosphere. "Sometimes things have to go your way a little, and you need the luck to be able to score," says the coach, who wants to make it "another magical evening".

Inter's transitions pose the biggest danger, according to Van Bronckhorst. "You feel like you're doing well in the match. Sometimes they give you that feeling too, which leaves you too open when they break," he warns.

Feyenoord cannot leave too much space for Inter's two strikers, Van Bronckhorst believes. He also points to the Italians' experience, how long they have played together and their ability to defend extremely well from a low block. The attack-minded Federico Dimarco will mainly come up against Givairo Read, according to the coach.

Even so, Van Bronckhorst sees chances for Feyenoord to hurt Inter. "You can see that they do give away chances," he says. "I think we can create chances today. Hopefully we can take them too."

Thijs Kraaijeveld's starting place ahead of Tsuyoshi Watanabe is Feyenoord's most notable selection. "Watanabe had started to feel some discomfort towards the end of the match," Van Bronckhorst explains. "So it's a physical issue. We've also already lost Jerry St. Juste, so we didn't want to take any risks." Watanabe is on the bench, however.

Alongside Mika Mármol in the heart of Feyenoord's defence, Kraaijeveld is set for a special match. "It's a great opportunity for him to play in the Champions League today," says Van Bronckhorst. "It's fantastic for him, and for the club, to play on this stage against a very good team."

Feyenoord line-up: Ernst; Read, Kraaijeveld, Mármol, López; Vanhoutte, Targhalline, Zechiël; Hadj Moussa, Ferri, Valente

Inter line-up: Martínez; Bisseck, Akanji, Augusto; Spence, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinksi, Dimarco; Esposito, Thuram.