Anis Hadj Moussa Returns to Feyenoord Squad for Barcelona Clash

Anis Hadj Moussa is back in the Feyenoord fold, the transfer saga parked and the focus dragged firmly onto Camp Nou.

Manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst confirmed in Spain that the Algerian winger has been recalled to the travelling squad for Wednesday night’s Champions League clash with Barcelona, drawing a line under several turbulent days behind the scenes.

The 24-year-old missed Saturday’s league win over NEC after twice turning up late, with Van Bronckhorst openly admitting his player’s “head was not in the game” as a lucrative move to Al-Ittihad loomed in the background. The Saudi club tabled a multi-million euro offer, but the deal collapsed when they failed to produce the required bank guarantee.

Once the window slammed shut, the mood changed.

Hadj Moussa reported back, trained, and crucially, spoke. On Tuesday he addressed his team-mates on the pitch, taking responsibility in front of the group to earn his way back.

“He addressed the group on the training pitch,” Van Bronckhorst said. “It was serious and occasionally met with a laugh from the squad. It was a good way to put this behind us.”

The coach made no attempt to sugar-coat the winger’s recent behaviour, describing his matchday decisions as unacceptable. Yet he also made it clear that the response since Sunday’s internal talks has hit the right notes. The squad and staff, he stressed, have moved on together.

Van Bronckhorst still sees Hadj Moussa as a match-winner, the kind of player who can tilt high-profile nights in Feyenoord’s favour. With Barcelona away to open the group phase, the stakes and the stage could hardly be bigger.

“When the deal fell through, he turned the page,” the Feyenoord boss added. “There is no better match for him to let his feet do the talking.”

Hadj Moussa has now resumed full training and is in line to feature against the Spanish giants on Wednesday evening, his punishment effectively served and his route back to the XI clearly marked: performance, not promises.

Feyenoord’s travelling party also includes 17-year-old Jerayno Schaken, who steps into a Champions League environment for the first time. Reiss Nelson, by contrast, stays behind through injury, a notable absentee as Van Bronckhorst shuffles his attacking options.

The Dutch champions arrive in Spain buoyed by their domestic victory over NEC, determined to turn that momentum into a statement start in Europe. The drama of bank guarantees and missed transfers has been shelved.

Now it is Camp Nou, Barcelona, and a winger with a point to prove.