Spotlight On Van Persie As Celtic Visit Feyenoord

Europa League: Feyenoord v Celtic

Venue: De Kuip, Rotterdam Date: Thursday, 27 November Time: 17:45 GMT

Coverage: Listen connected BBC Radio Scotland Extra & Sounds, unrecorded matter commentary connected nan BBC Sport website & app

As a player, Robin van Persie was a generational talent.

His near ft produced nan benignant of spellbinding magic that could rival immoderate of his peers arsenic he danced done a profession that near a people connected Feyenoord, Arsenal and Manchester United.

And that is not to mention a sparkling world profession that truthful very astir reached nan top pinnacle successful shot erstwhile he and his Dutch team-mates mislaid retired to nan top Spanish broadside of each clip successful nan 2010 World Cup last successful Johannesburg amidst nan incessant drone of nan vuvuzela.

Van Persie was a typical player. As a manager, nan assemblage is retired arsenic his Feyenoord squad invited Celtic to Rotterdam for a important Europa League encounter.

The 42-year-old was placed successful complaint of a nine he bookended his playing profession astatine successful February pursuing nan dismissal of Arne Slot's replacement Brian Priske.

And contempt an contiguous upturn successful fortunes, things person been shaky successful caller weeks.

Van Persie's only erstwhile managerial position was astatine Heerenveen, wherever he won conscionable 9 of his 26 games successful charge. He had antecedently worked arsenic Dick Advocaat's adjunct astatine Feyenoord.

And he comes into this 1 nether unit having mislaid each of his past 3 matches and 4 of his past 5 including their latest Europa League nonaccomplishment astatine Stuttgart that near them beneath Celtic successful nan table.

The tally has besides costs them apical spot successful nan Eredivisie pinch reigning champions PSV Eindhoven reclaiming nan acme and starring by six points.

Saturday's 4-2 location conclusion by NEC Nijmegen came aft Feyenoord tossed distant a 2-1 half-time lead and were wasteful successful beforehand of goal.

"This isn't emblematic of us," Van Persie said aft their latest defeat. "When you play that well, it's difficult to swallow.

"I thought we were bully against Stuttgart, but you suffer successful nan closing stage."

There was a typical infinitesimal for nan Van Persie family, however, arsenic nan head named his 19-year-old boy Shaqheel connected nan bench, his first engagement pinch nan first team. They had antecedently worked together erstwhile he coached nan club's younker team.

"Of people it's special, but ultimately, I don't favour him aliases disadvantage him because he's my son," said Van Persie senior. "That wouldn't beryllium adjacent either. I dainty him for illustration immoderate different player."

Like Celtic, Feyenoord desperately request to prime up points. Ten was capable for 3 clubs successful past season's convention phase, but it wasn't for 2 of them pinch nan 16-time Dutch champions a constituent worse disconnected than their Scottish counterparts.

Their apical scorer this play is Japan world Ayase Ueda, who has scored 13 goals successful 18 outings, pinch winger Anis Hadji Moussa stepping up this play having been connected indebtedness astatine Vitesse past campaign.

On nan different broadside could beryllium Leo Sauer, nan Slovakia wide who man featured successful each of his country's 2026 World Cup qualifiers, while £8.8m summertime signing Sam Steijn was made skipper by Van Persie instantly aft arriving astatine De Kuip.

With Celtic nursing their measurement done an wounded crisis, Feyenoord person besides recovered themselves shorn of cardinal men including reported Arsenal and Bayern Munich target Givairo Read and Canada full-back Cyle Larin.

It is simply a fixture that will evoke memories of nan 1970 European Cup last erstwhile Jock Stein sent 7 Lisbon Lions connected to nan San Siro transportation successful Milan pinch nan dream of repeating their glory of 3 years previously, only to suffer 2-1 aft other clip contempt taking nan lead done Tommy Gemmell.

This intelligibly isn't of that magnitude, but nan result could person superior repercussions erstwhile it comes to progression successful this season's Europa League - and Van Persie knows it.