Van Bronckhorst: 'Parking the bus would not be a good idea, we have to be brave'

Gio van Bronckhorst does not want Feyenoord to hide behind a defensive wall when it faces Barcelona in the Champions League. “Parking the bus would not be a good idea, we have to be brave,” the Dutch coach said ahead of Wednesday’s match at Spotify Camp Nou.

Van Bronckhorst expects Feyenoord to spend long periods defending, but believes his players must know when to defend and when to attack. He urged them to take advantage of the chances they create against a Barcelona side he described as playing the best football at present.

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Parking the bus would not be a good idea, we have to be brave.

The former Barcelona player said Hansi Flick’s team is getting closer to lifting the Champions League again. Barcelona have not won the title since 2015. “We have a lot to gain, I want to put out the best team we have,” Van Bronckhorst said, adding that Barcelona are capable of winning the competition.

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We have a lot to gain, I want to put out the best team we have.

He described the match as a challenge that could allow Feyenoord’s players to show their level in a demanding setting. Van Bronckhorst also confirmed that Anis Hadj Moussa, one of the team’s main attacking options, remains available after a possible summer transfer fell through. The coach said the Algerian had experienced disciplinary problems, but changed his mentality after speaking with the squad and can make a difference.

The return to Camp Nou carries personal significance for Van Bronckhorst, who played for Barcelona from 2003 to 2007 and won the Champions League with the club in 2006. Feyenoord defender Mika Mármol, who came through Barcelona’s La Masia academy, praised the club’s continued faith in youth players. On Lamine Yamal, Mármol said Feyenoord would need plenty of support and intense concentration to contain him.

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He can make a difference.