Highlighted: Feyenoord is on the verge of setting records in de Klassieker
This Sunday afternoon, the 135th Klassieker in de Eredivisie is scheduled. The battleground: De Kuip in Rotterdam. It's a different kind of Klassieker compared to the previous 134, partly because Feyenoord is already certain to finish the season above Ajax. But also because Ajax is brimming with a desire for revenge, following the 0-4 defeat earlier this season in Amsterdam. Sunday, September 24, 2023, will remain a dark day in the history of the Amsterdam club, as the Klassieker could not be completed at a 0-3 scoreline. Since then, however, a lot has changed, and Feyenoord – Ajax is always a game in its own right.
A moment for the history books
As mentioned, Feyenoord is already guaranteed to finish higher in the rankings than Ajax this season. It's the first time the Rotterdam club has ended above their rivals in consecutive Eredivisie seasons since the period from 1998/99 to 2000/01 (three times in a row). Moreover, Feyenoord has won the last two league matches against Ajax, only in 1960-1961 did the residents of De Kuip win more consecutively against Ajax in the Eredivisie (four times then). Interestingly, Ajax has managed to score in the last thirty Klassiekers held in Rotterdam (Eredivisie), totaling 61 goals in that series. If Ajax fails to find the net on Sunday afternoon, it will be the first time in the club's history they have not scored against Feyenoord in a single Eredivisie season.
Feyenoord players celebrate victory against AZ in the KNVB Cup (07-02-2024)
Giménez aims for a record-breaking performance
In the first leg, Santiago Giménez became the fifth Feyenoord player to score a hat-trick against Ajax in the Eredivisie, and even the first to do so in an away game in Amsterdam. Although the striker has been less prolific after the winter break compared to before it, a forward with 21 goals in 27 Eredivisie matches this season should not be underestimated. The Mexican could become the fourth Feyenoord player to score four times against Ajax in a single Eredivisie season. This record is currently held by Hans Venneker, who scored five times against Ajax in the 1964/65 season.
Santiago Giménez celebrates goal against Lazio (25-10-2023)
Feyenoord players with 3+ goals against Ajax in a single Eredivisie season
| Player | Season | Goals |
|---|---|---|
|
Hans Venneker |
1964/65 |
5 |
|
Henk Schouten |
1960/61 |
4 |
|
Daan den Bleijker |
1956/57 |
4 |
|
Santiago Giménez |
2023/24 |
3 |
|
John Guidetti |
2011/12 |
3 |
|
Peter Houtman |
1982/83 |
3 |
|
Cor van der Gijp |
1957/58 |
3 |
Ajax faces largest deficit since 1999
Only once before has Ajax faced such a large deficit to Feyenoord at the start of a Klassieker in Eredivisie as in this edition. On May 2, 1999, Feyenoord was first and Ajax eighth at the start of the matchday, with the difference before the match a whopping 24 points in favor of the Rotterdam side (now 21). A glimmer of hope for Ajax: they won that Classic by a staggering 6-0.
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