Preview: Sparta Rotterdam vs Feyenoord - prediction, team news, lineups

Sparta Rotterdam will be aiming to pick up their third win in a row when they face Feyenoord in the Rotterdam derby on Sunday at the Kasteel stadium.

Meanwhile, the visitors, who have not lost against their derby rivals since March 2017, have made a perfect start to the 2025-26 Eredivisie campaign, which leaves them in fourth spot, with six points from two games.

Match preview

After suffering a humiliating 6-1 defeat in the opening round against the reigning champions, PSV Eindhoven, Sparta have shown steady progress by picking up back-to-back wins.

Maurice Steijn's side firstly secured a 2-1 victory over Utrecht, where Tobias Lauritsen scored two minutes from normal time with a penalty.

Bubbling with confidence from that triumph, De Kasteelheren carried the momentum forward with a 3-0 win away from home against Go Ahead Eagles, where Lauritsen scored yet again.

Pelle Clement gave the visitors a lead in the 36th minute, before Lauritsen and Teo Quintero added to the tally to earn a convincing victory for the Red-White Gladiators.

The home crowd may harbour hopes of Sparta picking up maximum points against Feyenoord this weekend, but whether they can overcome the psychological barrier of not having won against their rivals in their last 14 meetings remains to be seen.

Robin van Persie took charge of De Stadionclub around late February last season, when they were 11 points behind Ajax and had won just once in their previous six games under Brian Priske.

While Feyenoord finished 11 points behind PSV, the Dutchman not only arrested the decline but brought the best out of his players, winning eight out of 10 league games.

After losing 6-4 on aggregate to Fenerbahce in their Champions League qualifier, they automatically progressed into the league phase of the Europa League; however, it is the Eredivisie that they must focus on now.

Feyenoord won 2-0 against NAC Breda in their opening league game, and they followed it up with a 2-1 victory against SBV Excelsior, where they came behind to secure all three points.

As a head coach, it will be Van Persie's first Rotterdam derby, and the former Arsenal striker will want to make the occasion memorable with another three points on Sunday.

Sparta Rotterdam Eredivisie form:

L W W

Feyenoord Eredivisie form:

W W

Feyenoord form (all competitions):

W W L W

Team News

Sparta will miss the trio of Shunsuke Mito, Lance Duijvestijn and Jonathan de Guzman for Sunday's derby.

Mito, 22, picked up a knee injury in the victory over Utrecht, and it is not clear when he can return. De Guzman and Duijvestijn have not played this season, but the latter is expected to return within the first week of September.

Feyenoord will definitely be without Hwang In-beom for this game after the 28-year-old picked up a calf injury in the last game. Oussama Targhalline replaced him, and the Moroccan midfielder is likely to start against Sparta.

Van Persie is already without Jakub Moder, Thomas Beelen, and Gernot Trauner, while right-back Jordan Lotomba is doubtful for the derby.

Sparta Rotterdam possible starting lineup:

Drommel; Sambo, Young, Indi, Van Aanholt; Clement, Kitolano; Van Bergen, Toornstra, Ltaief; Lauritsen

Feyenoord possible starting lineup:

Wellenreuther; Bos, Ahmedhodzic, Watanabe, Lotomba; Targhalline, Timber; Moussa, Steijn, Sauer; Ueda