Feyenoord vs Como 14.10.2026: Prediction, Betting Tips and Match Preview

Como’s first-ever Champions League campaign could hardly have started in more spectacular fashion: a commanding 4-1 thrashing of RB Leipzig announced the Serie A side’s arrival on the European stage. Now Cesc Fabregas takes his team to Rotterdam, where Feyenoord are still searching for their first point in the competition and battling a mounting injury crisis. With so many defensive absences, can the Dutch champions—or at least one of their main title rivals—be punished by an ambitious Italian outfit?

Feyenoord: A Painful Start and an Injury Crisis

The opening Champions League round was brutally unkind to Feyenoord. Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side were overwhelmed by Barcelona at Camp Nou, falling 5-1 in a match where the gulf in class was evident. The Dutch team managed just two shots on target against the Spanish champions’ nine, while their expected goals figure of 0.53 stood in stark contrast to Barça’s 2.11. Their bold decision to stick to their principles and play openly against the Catalan giants backfired spectacularly.

Domestically, however, Feyenoord remain a force. They have not lost any of their eight Eredivisie matches this season, and a run of four consecutive wins—including a 2-0 victory over direct title rivals AZ Alkmaar—has put them on top of the table. The problem is that European opposition operates at a different level, and the defence that looks solid in the Netherlands can quickly be exposed in the Champions League.

The back line is precisely where the Rotterdammers are most vulnerable. With key centre-back Tsuyoshi Watanabe out due to injury, Van Bronckhorst has been forced to reshuffle: Mica Marmol has moved into the middle alongside Saint-Juste, while Javi Lopez, on loan from Real Sociedad, has been deployed on the left. That makeshift arrangement worked against AZ, but the intensity and speed of transition in the Champions League pose a far greater threat. If Watanabe fails to recover, Feyenoord’s defensive problems could grow even worse.

Adding to the headache, the list of unavailable defenders is long: Thomas Beelen, Bart Nieuwkoop, Jordan Bos and Gijs Smal are all sidelined. The encouraging news is that the attacking unit remains largely intact. Anis Hadj Moussa has regained full sharpness, and Givairo Zechiel provides impressive energy in midfield. There are no concerns about goals, either, after recent Eredivisie demolitions of Utrecht (5-0) and Zwolle (7-0). Even with a depleted defence, Feyenoord clearly have the firepower to create dangerous chances, and their home crowd at De Kuip will expect a reaction.

Como: Confident After a Historic Debut

Como’s 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig was no fluke. Fabregas’s team refused to sit back, playing on the front foot against the Bundesliga side and outcreating them according to the underlying numbers: an expected goals tally of 2.98 compared to Leipzig’s 1.36. The fact that four different players found the net demonstrated the variety of their attacking threats.

In Serie A, results have been more uneven. Como currently sit seventh, having lost momentum in their last two league fixtures. A surprising 2-0 defeat away to Frosinone was followed by a frustrating 0-0 draw against Roma, where the Italians failed to make their numerical superiority count. On the other hand, their 2-1 win away to Napoli proved that this squad can compete with the very best on the road.

What makes Como dangerous is their technically gifted attacking unit. Nico Paz and Martin Baturina are comfortable carrying the ball through central areas, while Anastasios Douvikas gives the team a focal point in the penalty box, constantly making himself available for crosses and through-balls. This kind of mobility and quick interchange between the lines could cause real problems for a Feyenoord backline that repeatedly lost position against Barcelona. There is one notable absence for the visitors: Moise Kean is still recovering from a bruise to his shin. Nevertheless, Fabregas has enough alternatives to maintain an aggressive game plan in front of him.

Predicted Lineups

Feyenoord (4-2-3-1):

• Ernst
• Reid, Saint-Juste, Marmol, Lopez
• Zechiel, Vanhoutte
• Hadj Moussa, Valente, Diarra
• Ferri

Unavailable due to injury: Nieuwkoop, Smaal, Bos, Moder, Beelen Doubtful: Borges, Sh. van Persie, Watanabe, Nelson Manager: Giovanni van Bronckhorst

Como (4-2-3-1):

• Bute
• Couto, Ramon, Chalobah, Valle
• Milla, Da Cunha
• Diao, Paz, Baturina
• Douvikas

Unavailable: Kein (injury) Manager: Cesc Fabregas

Referee

The man in the middle is Lithuanian official Donatas Rumšas, a reasonably lenient referee. In his five Champions League assignments last season, he averaged 2.87 yellow cards per match. This term, he took charge of the qualifying tie between Levski Sofia and Kairat Almaty, showing just one yellow card throughout the game. His relaxed approach to disciplinary matters could allow the match to flow.

Prediction and Bet

Feyenoord have traditionally been a formidable opponent at De Kuip, but the level of opposition in the Eredivisie bears little resemblance to what they face in the Champions League. The 5-1 defeat to Barcelona exposed exactly how fragile their defensive line can be when pressed by elite sides. Como, meanwhile, have shown against RB Leipzig that they can impose themselves against strong opposition. With Feyenoord missing so many key defenders, the visitors’ chances of leaving Rotterdam with all three points look very promising.

Take a win for Como at odds of 1.93.

For a total goals bet, the attacking nature of both teams points toward a high-scoring affair. Feyenoord did manage to get the ball past Barcelona twice in the opening round, although one effort was ruled out for offside, while Como found the net four times against Leipzig despite creating seven clear chances. At home, Feyenoord will be bolder going forward, yet their experimental defence remains a concern after conceding five to Barcelona. Como’s back line is also far from flawless: Fabregas’s side have let in goals in six of their seven matches this season across all competitions. Expect an open game with plenty of goals, so take over 3.5 in the total goals market at odds of 2.10.