Feyenoord clinch Champions League place after drawing with AZ

Feyenoord required just a victory to confirm second position, yet Robin van Persie chose to deploy fullback Jordan Bos on the left wing and rightback Jordan Lotomba at leftback, while keeping Raheem Sterling and Gijs Smal in reserve.

AZ took the lead in the identical ground where they captured the KNVB Beker only three weeks earlier, thanks to careless defending that gifted them possession deep inside Feyenoords territory. Troy Parrott went clean through courtesy of Jordy Clasie and lifted the ball beyond Wellenreuther, handing the away team an early advantage in the first minute.

Curiously, Anis Hadj Moussa squandered a golden opportunity to level for Feyenoord following a lapse by the Utrecht backline, as Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro parried his effort from close range, while Hadj Moussa ignored the unmarked Ayase Ueda positioned just a metre away, despite the leading marksman being perfectly placed.

The Algerian forward atoned for his prior error by netting the leveller shortly before the hour, slotting it neatly by Owusu-Oduros near upright following a superb long ball from Tobias van den Elshout.

The latter stages remained subdued, with Peer Koopmeiners the only one to truly challenge the keepers via his strikes from afar, yet they proved insufficient to bar Feyenoord from Champions League qualification.

Robin van Persies squad earned entry to the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League League Phase courtesy of Sundays stalemate, their four-point advantage proving ample to guarantee runners-up status.

Separately, AZ locked in a berth for the forthcoming UEFA Europa League campaign, rendering a podium finish unattainable for the Alkmaar outfit.