Preview: FCSB vs. Feyenoord - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to make a late push for a playoff place in the Europa League, FCSB and Feyenoord face off at the National Arena on Thursday, both seeking maximum points to lift them near the top 24.

The two clubs currently occupy the 30th and 31st spots in the 36-team league phase after five matchdays, highlighting the vital importance of three points in Bucharest this week.

Match preview

Neither FCSB nor Feyenoord approach Thursday’s matchday six in the Europa League league phase in good form.

The Bucharest-based club were victorious on matchday one, beating Go Ahead Eagles 1-0 away, but have suffered disappointment ever since.

Four consecutive defeats in Europe’s secondary club competition mean the Red and Blues have not added to the three points secured against the competition’s debutants in late September.

While Elias Charalambous will hope to see a different performance from his team, who have lost to Young Boys (2-0), Bologna (2-1), Basel (3-1) and Crvena Zvezda (1-0), recent results across all competitions remain unimpressive.

The Bucharest outfit have won just one of their seven matches in all tournaments since a 2-0 victory over Cluj on November 1, drawing three and losing three.

Having failed to score in their last two games in league and cup, Charalambous must find solutions to defeat a Feyenoord side seemingly regaining form after a poor November.

A 3-2 league defeat by PSV Eindhoven at the end of October appeared to knock the confidence of Robin van Persie’s side, who then lost four of their next five in all competitions, including Europa League defeats against Stuttgart (2-0) and Celtic (3-1).

Since that loss, however, the Rotterdam club have returned to winning ways, beating promoted Telstar in the Eredivisie before blowing PEC Zwolle away in a 6-1 rout.

That win marked De Stadionclub’s first victory at De Kuip in over a month, with Ayase Ueda scoring four in the triumph to reach 18 goals in the Eredivisie this season, eight more than PSV's Guus Til in second place.

However, the club’s leading scorer has managed just one goal in Europe this season, perhaps explaining Feyenoord’s struggles on the continent.

A 3-1 victory over Panathinaikos in October is sandwiched between defeats to Braga and Aston Villa as well as Stuttgart and Celtic, with the Dutch side only scoring against the Scottish club in those losses.

Nevertheless, they hope two consecutive wins will spark a turnaround and late surge at the end of the league phase as they chase down Basel (six points) and the group of teams on seven — Celtic, Crvena Zvezda and Dinamo Zagreb — for a chance at the playoffs.

FCSB Europa League form:

FCSB form (all competitions):

Feyenoord Europa League form:

Feyenoord form (all competitions):

Team News

Darius Olaru is suspended for FCSB due to yellow card accumulation, while Joyskim Dawa and Mihai Popescu are sidelined with knee injuries.

Daniel Birligea has scored one of the Red and Blues’ three goals in the league phase this season, though his tally could be higher if not for several missed chances.

However, the forward missing out with an ankle sprain points to Florin Tanase starting up top for the hosts, aiming to open his account in Europe this term.

While Feyenoord have not struggled for goals in the league, 18-goal Ueda has yet to replicate his form in Europe, where he has scored once this season.

The Japan international is aiming to score in a fourth consecutive game and overtake Anis Hadj Moussa, Givairo Read and Cyle Larin as Feyenoord scorers with one goal in Europe.

The Dutch giants will assess Jakub Moder, Larin, Shiloh ’t Zand, Gernot Trauner and Sem Steijn, with Read, Malcolm Jeng, Hwang In-Beom and Bart Nieuwkoop sidelined.

FCSB possible starting lineup:

Zima; Cretu, Ngezana, Graovac, Radunovic; Lixandru, Sut; Miculescu, O. Popescu, Thiam; Tanase

Feyenoord possible starting lineup:

Wellenreuther; Lotomba, Ahmedhodzic, Watanabe, Smal; Valente, Targhaline, Timber; Moussa, Ueda, Sauer

We say: FCSB 1-2 Feyenoord

Although both clubs have similar records heading into Thursday, Feyenoord possess slightly superior quality compared to their Bucharest hosts.

Despite losing seven of their last nine competitive European matches, the Dutch outfit's improved form and Ueda’s prolific scoring could prove decisive on matchday six.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.