Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Eredivisie clash between Heerenveen and AZ Alkmaar, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Heerenveen will undeniably look forward to hosting AZ Alkmaar at Abe Lenstra Stadion in Sunday’s Eredivisie match.
Recent visits to Alkmaar have been tough for the Super Frisians, who have been beaten with an aggregate score of 16-2 across three trips, so hosting this weekend’s round 13 fixture in Friesland will be welcomed by the home team.
Match preview
While Heerenveen have lost 3-0, 9-0 and 4-1 in their last three visits to AFAS Stadion, De Superfriezen have had more success in home fixtures.
AZ remain winless in their last two trips to Abe Lenstra Stadion, suffering a 3-1 defeat in the corresponding fixture in 2024-25 after a 2-2 draw the previous year.
Aiming to extend their unbeaten streak to three, Robin Veldman, who took charge shortly after March’s 3-1 victory, aims to lead his team to another win in this fixture.
Meetings in front of their supporters this season have yielded mainly positive results, with nine of their 14 points coming in Friesland, where they have been beaten just once in six matches: a 2-1 loss against FC Twente.
Heerenveen have gathered eight points from the following four matches since that defeat, and they enter Sunday’s fixture aiming to prolong their four-match unbeaten run in front of their fans.
AZ head into the 13th gameweek undoubtedly battered after a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of PSV Eindhoven before the international break.
Having entered that fixture on a four-match winning streak in the league, Maarten Martens’s team were brought down by the defending Dutch champions, marking the Alkmaar outfit’s second loss of the season.
Travelling to Heerenveen, where they have not won since January 2023, the Cheese Farmers seek a response to their defeat in the 12th round, hoping to close the four-point gap on second-placed Feyenoord, following the Rotterdam giants’ recent wobble over two matches.
While narrowing the deficit to Feyenoord remains uncertain, the travelling supporters will head to Friesland confident in their team’s impressive away record this season: four wins, one draw and one defeat.
With four of those wins coming in their last five away matches, AZ aim to secure a third consecutive victory on their travels, following wins against Ajax (2-0) and Sparta Rotterdam (1-0).
Heerenveen Eredivisie form:
Heerenveen form (all competitions):
AZ Alkmaar Eredivisie form:
AZ Alkmaar form (all competitions):
Team News
While Levi Smans is nearing a return from his knee injury, Pawel Bochniewicz remains out, having not played in exactly a year.
Dylan Vente and Jacob Trenskow have scored five and four goals so far, contributing to nine of the home team’s 19 strikes heading into the 13th round.
Unlike their 12th-placed hosts, AZ face numerous injury issues: Jordy Clasie (ankle), Dave Kwakman, Ro-Zangelo Daal, Mexx Meerdink (groin), Seiya Maikuma (knee), Danso Kasius and Rome Jayden Owusu-Oduro are all unavailable for this weekend’s game.
Meanwhile, Wouter Goes’s 12-match run in the side ends this weekend as the centre-back serves a one-match suspension for accumulated yellow cards.
Troy Parrott, fresh from scoring five goals for the Republic of Ireland in victories over Portugal and Hungary in World Cup qualifying, aims to transfer his international form into club football to add to his six Eredivisie goals.
Heerenveen possible starting lineup:
Klaverboer; Braude, Kersten, Willemsen, Zagaritis; Van Overeem, Brouwers; Trenskow, Vente, Rivera; Sejk
AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:
Zoet; Dijkstra, Dekker, Penetra, De Wit; Smit, Boogaard; Patati, Mijnans, Jensen; Parrott
We say: Heerenveen 2-2 AZ Alkmaar
Goals have been flowing at Abe Lenstra Stadion this season, with Heerenveen scoring 12 and conceding 11 in six matches in Friesland.
Therefore, a tie could be likely against AZ, with both teams expected to inflict damage on each other but not deliver a decisive punch in a score draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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