Sometimes their coach has a little twitch in his game plan
On the eve of a European final in Tirana, Feyenoord stand at the threshold of history — undefeated through twelve Conference League matches and poised to end two decades of Dutch absence from the continental winners' podium. The return of goalkeeper Justin Bijlow from injury completes the picture for manager Arne Slot, who has spent weeks studying the tactical mind of Jose Mourinho, knowing that preparation is the closest thing to certainty sport allows.
- Feyenoord's season-long unbeaten run in the Conference League — eight wins, four draws — has built a rare momentum that now arrives at its defining moment.
- The fitness of goalkeeper Bijlow, absent since March with a foot injury, hung over the final's preparation like an unresolved question until training confirmed he was ready.
- Slot has dissected Roma's tendencies with the thoroughness of a scholar, anticipating Mourinho's direct, long-ball approach rather than any tactical sleight of hand.
- With a full squad, a clear game plan, and 55 matches of shared experience behind them, Feyenoord enter the final as a side that believes it has already seen everything the game can throw at it.
Justin Bijlow had been away since March, sidelined by foot surgery, but a week of untroubled training alongside his Feyenoord teammates changed the equation. On the eve of the Europa Conference League final in Tirana, manager Arne Slot told reporters he expected the 24-year-old goalkeeper to be available. "There is a considerable chance that Justin will play," he said.
The stakes were generational. No Dutch club had lifted a European trophy since Feyenoord themselves won the UEFA Cup in 2002. This inaugural Conference League campaign had been a near-perfect journey — eight wins and four draws, an undefeated record no other team in the tournament could match.
Their final opponent, AS Roma, brought with them the tactical intelligence of Jose Mourinho. Slot had studied him carefully, absorbing Roma's patterns and tendencies. He expected a direct, physical approach — long balls over the defensive line rather than patient buildup play. "It would surprise me if Roma try to play out from the back," Slot said. After 55 games together, he felt his squad had encountered enough to handle whatever Mourinho might devise.
With Bijlow's return sealing a fully fit selection, Feyenoord arrived at the final with their structure intact and their history within reach.
Justin Bijlow was coming back. After two months away from the pitch following foot surgery in March, Feyenoord's goalkeeper had spent the past week training alongside his teammates without incident, and on Tuesday, manager Arne Slot told reporters he expected the 24-year-old to be ready for Wednesday's Europa Conference League final in Tirana. "If nothing untoward happens today, then we have a fully fit selection for tomorrow," Slot said. "So there is a considerable chance that Justin will play."
The timing mattered. Feyenoord were chasing history—a chance to become the first Dutch club to win a European title since 2002, when they defeated Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Cup final. That was two decades ago. The club had built something remarkable in this inaugural Conference League season: eight wins and four draws, an undefeated record that stretched from the group stage through the knockout rounds. No other team in the tournament could claim the same.
Their opponent was AS Roma, managed by Jose Mourinho, a coach known for tactical flexibility and the occasional surprise. Slot had done his homework. He'd watched Roma extensively, studied their patterns, absorbed their tendencies. "We know what to expect, but you never know," he said. "Sometimes their coach has a little twitch in his game plan." But Slot wasn't overly concerned. Feyenoord had played 55 games already this season. The tactical vocabulary was vast. "I'd be a bit surprised if he could think of something that we haven't had yet," Slot offered.
What Slot expected from Roma was straightforward: long balls over the top, a direct approach rather than patient buildup play. "It would surprise me if Roma try to play out from the back tomorrow," he said. "I expect them to play long balls over the back of our defence." This wasn't a knock on Roma's quality—Mourinho's teams were efficient, dangerous, built to exploit space in transition. But they had a style, and Slot believed his team understood it.
Bijlow's return would be crucial to that defensive structure. In the group stage and the opening knockout match, he had kept one clean sheet while conceding six goals across five games. Those numbers told a story of a team still finding its footing in European competition. Now, with a full squad available and an undefeated record intact, Feyenoord were positioned to finish what they'd started. The final was less than 24 hours away.
Citas Notables
If nothing untoward happens today, then we have a fully fit selection for tomorrow. So there is a considerable chance that Justin will play.— Arne Slot, Feyenoord manager
I'd be a bit surprised if he could think of something that we haven't had yet.— Arne Slot, on Jose Mourinho's tactical options
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does Bijlow's return matter so much? Feyenoord have a backup goalkeeper—couldn't they have managed?
It's not just about having a body in goal. Bijlow is their first choice, their rhythm-setter. A goalkeeper who knows the team's defensive shape, who's trained with them all season. You don't replace that continuity lightly in a final.
Slot seems very confident about Roma's tactics. Is that overconfidence?
Not really. He's watched them play many times. Roma under Mourinho are consistent—they have a blueprint. Slot isn't saying Roma are predictable or weak. He's saying they know what's coming, and they've prepared for it.
Eight wins and four draws—that's an extraordinary record. Does that put pressure on them?
It could. But it also means they've proven they can win in different ways, against different opponents. They're not a one-trick team. That undefeated run is confidence, not a burden.
Twenty years since a Dutch club won a European title. That's a long drought.
It is. And it's not lost on anyone in Rotterdam. This isn't just another match. It's a chance to end something that's been missing for an entire generation of Dutch football fans.
What happens if Bijlow isn't fit enough to play?
Then they go with their backup and hope the rest of the team carries the load. But Slot wouldn't have said what he said if he wasn't confident. Managers don't gamble with finals.