with a team mostly composed by Feyenoord loanees, it was Excelsior who won the two-legged game on away goals rule, after scoring a late equaliser in the final minutes of the return game at Sparta's home, Het Kasteel, and thus replacing their crosstown opponents in the Dutch top flight. Accurate as of 21 January 2018 Feyenoord vs Excelsior derby Both clubs have the same working-class background and have a long-term partnership since 1979, which was contractually sealed in 1996. Excelsior became Feyenoord's feeder club and provided experience and training for young talented Feyenoord players. In 2009, Feyenoord and Excelsior agreed on an even more extensive partnership. As part of the new agreement, the clubs started a joint regional youth academy called Feyenoord Academy and merged the club's reserve teams. Also, Excelsior continued to be Feyenoord's feeder club. Since the partnership between both clubs, the Excelsior fans and players developed a more heated rivalry with Feyenoord, but one not reciprocated by Feyenoord. A majority of the Excelsior fans have always been against a partnership with Feyenoord. Michel van der Neut, chairman of Excelsior's supporters club, claimed: "Excelsior sold her soul with the extended partnership. Excelsior simply stops existing this way." The players on the other hand state to be extra motivated in the Rotterdam derbies versus Feyenoord. With Excelsior's Eredivisie promotion in the season 2010–11, the Rotterdam derbies between both clubs were on the fixture again. Excelsior beat Feyenoord in the first derby of the season with a 3–2 score at Stadion Woudestein. Feyenoord won the return match, as well as both fixtures in the season 2011–12. Excelsior was relegated again after this season. It managed to return to the Eredivisie two seasons later. In 2017 Excelsior won the derby with a 3-0 score, resulting in riots in the city centre. See also De Klassieker Amsterdam derby Twentse Derby References External links FootballDerbies.com Football in Rotterdam Sports competitions in Rotterdam Feyenoord Sparta Rotterdam Excelsior Rotterdam Football derbies in the Netherlands