Celtic’s Europa League boost as Feyenoord suffer big home defeat to expose key weaknesses

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Celtic will face Feyenoord in the next round of the Europa League.

Martin O’Neill knows Celtic need a positive result after the Bhoys’ defeat to FC Midtjylland leaves no margin for error in their final four Europa League games.

O’Neill was boosted this weekend as Celtic battled to a 1-0 St Mirren win after he watched his side toil in Paisley for 94 excruciating minutes.

And now, the interim Celtic boss will be buoyed after Feyenoord’s latest shock result in the Eredivisie reveals a key weakness O’Neill could expose in Rotterdam.

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Feyenoord battered in Rotterdam exposes key defensive weakness for Celtic

Feyenoord had been flying high in the Eredivisie and were looking to keep up with PSV who were seven points ahead before their home fixture against NEC Nijmegen.

Robin van Persie will be fuming as his title hopes are dented just days before facing Celtic in the Europa League.

Feyenoord fell behind in the 37th minute as Linssen put NEC ahead. However, van Persie’s side equalised just before the break.

The Dutch side then took the lead ten minutes after the break, but a 20-minute collapse meant that Feyenoord lost the match 4-2.

The goal in the 69th minute by Onal was added to with a quick-fire late double by 20-year-old striker Kento Shiogai in the 84th and 90+1 minute.

But it was the key weaknesses that NEC Nijmegen exposed that will really interest Celtic boss O’Neill.

Feyenoord pair Tsuyoshi Watanabe & Anel Ahmedhodzic must be exposed by Celtic

Tsuyoshi Watanabe & Anel Ahmedhodzic had a nightmare game for Feyenoord as they suffered a second-half collapse against Nijmegen.

Fotmob rated both players 5.5 and 5.8 respectively, and looking at how Nijmegen second and third goals were scored, it’s little wonder.

The mid-table Eredivisie side exposed Feyenoord’s aerial power as Onal and Shiogai out-muscled, out-jumped and out-powered the two defenders’ aerial prowess.

And the icing on the cake was another defensive Feyenoord mistake that led to this wonder goal to round off the 4-2 win.

Celtic boss Martin O’Neill will watch this footage with interest and must take note that despite Feyenoord’s impressive form, the Dutch side can still be got at on Thursday night in Rotterdam.