Excelsior Maassluis

Excelsior Maassluis, founded on June 1, 1918, in Maassluis, Netherlands, is an amateur football club nicknamed the Tricolores for their red-white-blue striped kit, playing at the 5,000-capacity Lavendelstraat ground. Rooted in community and youth development—earning KNVB recognition for its academy in 2006 and regional status in 2014—the club has evolved through promotions and setbacks, reaching the Tweede Divisie (third tier) in 2016 as overall Dutch amateur champions. Under coach Claudio Braga since at least 2024, recent seasons (e.g., 2023/24: 16th place, surviving playoffs) emphasize survival and cup exploits, like reaching the KNVB Cup round of 16 by upsetting FC Volendam, fostering a resilient underdog mentality amid semi-professional constraints

Typically deploying a compact 4-4-2 or similar defensive setup, Excelsior focuses on organized pressing, quick counters, and set-piece threats, suited to their amateur status and emphasis on collective effort over individual brilliance. This pragmatic style allows them to frustrate higher-tier opponents in cups.

• Defensive solidity: Strong in absorbing pressure, as shown in playoff survivals and cup runs with low concession rates in key matches.
• Counter-attacking threat: Forwards like Redouan Omar Ouali exploit transitions with speed and opportunism.
• Youth integration: Academy products provide energy and cohesion, enhancing morale in high-stakes games. (92 words)

As a third-tier amateur side, vulnerabilities include limited technical depth, susceptibility to sustained possession, and fatigue in transitions, evident in recent mid-table struggles and playoff battles. For OM, dominate with patient build-up to break their block, targeting flanks for overloads and forcing errors through high pressing. In this pre-season friendly, maintain low intensity to test reserves and tactics, building confidence without risk ahead of Ligue 1. (72 words)