Wetin dey happen for Dutch league dis weekend na serious gist wey all football fans suppose follow. AZ Alkmaar go host SC Heerenveen for AFAS Stadion on Sunday afternoon, and di tension dey high like pepper soup. Di two teams dey close to each other for table, just one point separate dem, so dis match go decide who go climb up.
AZ Alkmaar just bounce back from one 3-0 defeat wey dem collect from Groningen before international break. Last weekend, dem show say dem get liver when dem beat Fortuna Sittard 2-0. Mexx Meerdink and Sven Mijnans score two first-half goals wey seal di win. But make we no forget say AZ still dey carry one big wahala for head: dem lose 3-0 to Shakhtar Donetsk for UEFA Conference League quarter-final first leg midweek. Dat one don put dem for serious pressure ahead of next week return leg.
Head coach Lee-Roy Echteld don impress with 10 wins from 17 matches across all competitions, but di man also see three defeats for last five league games. Na wa o. Di reverse fixture for November produce four goals as Heerenveen win 3-1, but AZ dey better for home ground. Two seasons ago, dem even hammer Heerenveen 9-1! Na real demolition dat one.
For Heerenveen side, dem dey enter dis clash with five-match unbeaten run. Last weekend, dem thrash bottom club Heracles Almelo 4-1. Robin Veldman team don become one of di in-form teams for di league after collecting 19 points from dia last eight fixtures. Dem only lose once during dat period, 3-1 to champions PSV Eindhoven. Dem even hold third-placed NEC Nijmegen to 2-2 draw away before March international break.
Heerenveen dey seventh with 44 points, just one behind AZ. Dem don already pass dia 2023-24 tally of 43 points, and dat show say Veldman don do impressive work for his first full campaign. Di visitors no lose for dia last two away trips and don record five wins from 14 matches on di road dis season.
Team news dey show say AZ go remain without Jizz Hornkamp, Peer Koopmeiners and Ro-Zangelo Daal. Jordy Clasie just return to action last weekend after six months out with injury. For Heerenveen, attacking midfielder Levi Smans remain long-term absentee with knee injury, while left-winger Amourricho van Axel Dongen dey reportedly sick and fit no play. Joris van Overeem, Vasilios Zagaritis, Maas Willemsen and Oliver Braude all dey one yellow card away from suspension.
Maarten Wijffels, veteran journalist, dey baffled by AZ striker Ro-Zangelo Daal. On Friday AD Voetbal podcast, di man yarn say Echteld wan include di winger for starting XI for Conference League quarter-final against Shakhtar Donetsk, but di 22-year-old striker come late and settle for bench. Wijffels vex wella: “I don jot down two things: Daal, you idiot. And: all focus on di cup final.” Di journalist doubt say Alkmaarders fit overturn di deficit at AFAS Stadion. Wijffels insist say Daal, especially, must look for mirror.
Wijffels add say AZ actually look more dangerous once Daal enter as substitute. “Dat na why: Daal, you idiot. E clear wella. Sven Mijnans talk am on camera afterwards. How you fit late on match day like dis?” “Dat na, of course, unacceptable,” he add. “Mijnans also indicate say dem don discuss am. Daal get more to offer than Sadiq; dat clear for flanks. AZ for don need dat for first half,” Wijffels conclude.
Meanwhile, for anoda match wey dey hot, Sparta Rotterdam go welcome newly crowned champions PSV Eindhoven to Het Kasteel on Saturday evening. Di clash hold greater significance for di hosts. PSV don secure dia third consecutive league title just last weekend, but motivation dey high for Sparta wey dey fierce battle to secure place for European competition play-offs.
Sparta Rotterdam dey enter dis fixture determined to defend dia place for top eight. Eighth position currently represent final European play-off spot – dem occupy dat position now, but just by one point ahead of both Utrecht and Groningen. After six-match winless streak for league, Sparta manage steady demselves with 2-0 victory over FC Volendam; however, dem no build on dat momentum and dem hold to goalless draw by relegation-threatened NAC Breda last time out.
Manager Maurice Steijn go hope say his side fit capitalise on possibility say PSV fit ease off slightly after dia recent title celebrations. History, however, no dey dia side, as Sparta no beat di champions for any competition since 2016, losing 14 times and drawing twice for dat span. Dem currently dey on seven-match losing streak for dis fixture.
PSV arrive Rotterdam as undisputed kings of Dutch football dis season. Under guidance of Peter Bosz, PSV don produce dominant campaign, boasting league most prolific attack with impressive 82 goals scored for just 29 matches while winning 23 of those fixtures. Di title mark PSV 24th league crown since establishment of Eredivisie for 1956-57 and dia 12th since turn of di century, more than any oda Dutch club during dat period.
With championship already wrapped up and no further domestic or European commitments remaining, focus for Bosz and his squad go likely shift to finishing di campaign strongly. Di manager fit also use remaining fixtures to rotate his squad and give opportunities to fringe players.
Sparta Rotterdam get no major injury concerns ahead of dis encounter, with Lushendry Martes di only player wey go miss match as he serve suspension for accumulated yellow cards. Much of attacking responsibility go again fall on Norwegian striker Tobias Lauritsen, wey lead Sparta scoring charts with 11 Eredivisie goals dis season.
PSV go travel without several key players, as Sergino Dest dey currently deal with hamstring problem, while Jerdy Schouten, Ruben van Bommel and Alassane Plea all dey sidelined due to knee injuries. For attacking department, Ismael Saibari don be one of PSV standout performers with 14 league goals dis season, including brace for title-clinching match, while Guus Til don contribute 13 goals.
For oda news, Ajax dey risk finish seventh and miss out on place for European competition. Dem suffer defeat against FC Twente (1-2) last weekend and see di Tukkers take over fourth place. Ajax play at home against rivals FC Twente last Saturday and fail pick up any points. Di defeat lead to major shake-up for VriendenLoterij Eredivisie table: FC Twente don overtake Ajax and dey now for fourth place, wey entitle dem to qualify for Europa League.
Although Amsterdam side, on 48 points, dey just two points behind FC Twente, Ajax remaining fixtures no easy at all. After two away matches against Heracles Almelo and NAC Breda, Ajax must play dia final three matches against national champions PSV, FC Utrecht and sc Heerenveen. Di latter two dey fierce battle for play-off spots for European football.
Utrecht dey ninth place, one point behind Sparta Rotterdam (41), wey currently occupy final play-off spot. Ron Jans side na real bogey team for Ajax, wey don win just once for last five meetings between di clubs. Utrecht side dey also for good form, having lost just two of dia last ten league matches. Dese na narrow defeats against PSV (4-3) and Feyenoord (0-1).
Alongside Utrecht, Heerenveen dey also on impressive run for VriendenLoterij Eredivisie. Di Frisian club no lose for five consecutive matches and dey seventh for league, just four points behind Ajax. Earlier dis season, Óscar García side no fit get past Heerenveen, with match ending 1-1 at Johan Cruijff ArenA. Heerenveen fit seal Ajax fate for final round of fixtures at Abe Lenstra Stadium and send di club into play-offs.
If Ajax end up for play-offs, di club go turn attention to cup final, wey take place on Sunday 19 April. NEC go face AZ, wey currently dey sixth place. Di cup winner qualify directly for Europa League. For dis way, AZ fit avoid di play-offs. Cup win for Alkmaar side fit, given recent results of North Holland derby, be beneficial for Ajax, wey last beat AZ for 2021.
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