Feyenoord secured a commanding 3-1 victory over NEC in challenging circumstances, with captain Luciano Valente highlighting the team's resilience in the face of transfer turmoil surrounding winger Anis Hadj Moussa. The absence of the Algerian international cast a shadow over the match, yet Valente insisted the squad's performance underlined their professionalism and unity under pressure.
Hadj Moussa remains at the centre of a drawn-out transfer dispute as Saudi Arabian club Ittihad Club pursues his signature. The forward stands to earn approximately €50 million over a five-year contract, but Feyenoord have yet to accept an offer currently valued around €40 million. Valente acknowledged the distraction without dwelling on it. "Of course it is annoying, it brings a bit of unrest," the captain explained to ESPN. "But that makes it all the more impressive how we stood here today as a team. We handled it very well, this is what supporters want to see." His pragmatic stance reflected the Rotterdam club's determination to move forward regardless of the ongoing saga.
Schaken's Historic Debut Steals the Show
The afternoon belonged to teenage sensation Jerayno Schaken, who etched his name into Eredivisie history with a stunning goal in the second half. The 17-year-old became the youngest goalscoring debutant in the Dutch top division's history, a milestone that left Valente visibly delighted. "A phenomenon, isn't he," Valente remarked with a laugh, before tempering expectations. "No, we must not go too fast. He is doing really well in training and got to take his chance today. What a goal, that is quality."
Beyond the finish itself, Schaken impressed with his maturity and composure throughout the remainder of the contest. Rather than pursuing highlight-reel moments, the youngster managed the game intelligently for someone of such tender years. "I'm super proud of him," Valente reflected. "What is also nice is that after his goal he played in a very mature way. That is very impressive at his age, that he does not only go for those actions. He saw it out very maturely." This blend of technical skill and tactical awareness suggests Schaken possesses the temperament to thrive at elite level, offering Feyenoord a glimmer of hope amid the Hadj Moussa uncertainty.
The victory maintains Feyenoord's momentum in the Eredivisie while demonstrating the squad's capacity to perform when circumstances threaten cohesion. Whether Hadj Moussa's situation is resolved this transfer window or not, the Dutch side have shown they possess sufficient depth and mentality to compete at the highest level.
