Sunday afternoon is show time in the Eredivisie. All nine matches of the penultimate match round will be played at the same time. The top three clubs FC Twente, Ajax and PSV are only three points apart.
FC Twente can secure the title on Sunday if the club beat Willem II, Ajax lose at sc Heerenveen and PSV drop points against Vitesse. If Twente grabs the championship, they will be the first club apart from the Dutch traditional top three (Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV) to retain the title since the beginning of the Eredivisie in the 1956/57 season.
PSV threw away their chances losing 3-1 to Feyenoord last week. If Twente and Ajax both win their penultimate match the club from Eindhoven is eliminated in the title race. On the last match day Twente travels to Ajax for what probably will be the decisive game. If Ajax grab the title, it will be their thirtieth in club history.
After 32 match rounds Twente and Ajax have 68 points and 67 points respectively. Last season they ended up champions and runners-up with 86 points and 85 points respectively.
PSV lost its advantage over FC Twente and Ajax in the title race when the club lost 3-1 at Feyenoord last week. Coach Fred Rutten still hopes for the championship. “We’ll have to win are last two matches and hope for the others to drop points. Ajax face a tough match at Heerenveen on Sunday.”
Rutten will have to play without the suspended defenders Erik Pieters, Stanislav Manolev and striker Jeremain Lens, but the coach can count on Swedish striker Ola Toivionen, who already netted 15 times this season.
Vitesse are currently ranked fourteenth. The club stated the ambition to become champions within three years at the beginning of the current season. They’ll have to climb 13 spots on the ranking. The longest two year route to the title in Eredivisien history is from DWS. The Amsterdam club finished 16th in 1961/62, was relegated and became champions in 1963/64 in the season following promotion.
“Everybody is aware of the fact that we are two victories away from the title”, said Frank de Boer on Friday. The Ajax coach is confident, but cautious. “We’ll have to win at Heerenveen first, before we should allow ourselves to think of the last match against FC Twente.”
De Boer can become the third coach to grab the title with Ajax after having won the Championship as an Ajax player as well. Only Rinus Michels and Ronald Koeman managed to do that. Johan Cruijff, who’s new plan is being executed within the club at the moment, took several titles as an Ajax player, but never won it as coach of the Amsterdam club.
Ajax can win its 30th title. With 29 championships the club is Dutch record holder. Worldwide only 18 clubs managed to win 30 or more national titles, amongst them Argentine River Plate, Spanish Real Madrid (31) and Belgian Anderlecht. Scottish Glasgow Rangers (53) has the world record.
Feyenoord got a confidence boost when they took revenge for the 10-0 away defeat at PSV, beating the Eindhoven club 3-1 in Rotterdam last week. Despite their very poor first half of the season, Feyenoord are still in contention for the European play-offs.
VVV-Venlo for their part are still not sure to avoid ending up rock bottom by the end of the season. The Limburg club have a three point advantage over Willem II with only two matches to play.
At home Feyenoord beat VVV 3-0 this season. Georginio Wijnaldum scored twice and André Bahia also netted for the home team. In Venlo Feyenoord always seem to encounter many difficulties. The visitors only won twice in 18 previous matches. The last away win dates back to 1991, when Gaston Taument scored the only goal in the Koel to hand Feyenoord a 1-0 victory.
NEC have a theoretical chance to qualify for the European play-offs, but that would involve many improbabilities. The home crowd in Nijmegen will say farewell to Björn Vleminckx, who will move to Belgian Club Brugge this summer.
Vleminckx had a prolific season in his second year at NEC. The Belgian striker equaled Hans Venneker’s 43-year-old club record scoring 19 goals in one Eredivisie season for the red-black-green brigade. Vleminckx lost his top spot on the Eredivisie top scorers ranking to Mads Junker last week, but it is still possible to become the first Belgian Eredivisie top scorer since PSV’s Luc Nilis in the 1996/97 season.
Roda JC are still in contention for the fourth spot on the table. The last Eredivisie top five finish of the current number five was in the 2000/01 season, when Roda finished fourth.
Heracles Almelo still hope to qualify for the play-offs for a Europa League ticket, but NAC Breda have nothing to play for anymore. The club are ranked thirteenth, with neither a chance for European play-offs nor fear for relegation play-offs,
Heracles visited Breda eight times before in the Eredivisie and the visitors never won. NAC defeated Heracles four times and the match ended in a draw another four times.
This season Hercales crushed NAC 4-1 in Almelo. Samuel Armenteros, Mark-Jan Fledderus, Willy Overtoom and Glynor scored for the home team and Kees Luijckx made the consolation goal for the visitors. Heracles never managed to beat NAC twice in one Eredivisie season before.
AZ are currently ranked fourth and the can secure that spot with a win if Roda JC drop points at NEC on Sunday. If De Graafschap win, they are sure to avoid relegation this season. That would please Andries Ulderink, who was appointed the news manager for next season in Doetinchem this week.
De Graafschap visited AZ 14 times before in the Eredivisie and the visitors only won three times. AZ won ten times and the match ended in a draw once.
This season De Graafschap defeated AZ 2-1 in Doetinchem. Graziano Pellè scored the first goal for the visitors, but Rydell Poepon and Hugo Bargas secured the win for the home team.
Excelsior still have a theoretical chance to avoid the relegation play-offs, but if De Graafschap grab one point from their last two matches, Excelsior will have to save their Eredivisie live in post season.
FC Utrecht hopes to qualify for another type of post season matches. Being ranked eighth Utrecht defend the last spot on the table that qualifies for the play-offs for a Europa League ticket.
Excelsior only managed to win twice in sixteen previous home encounters against Utrecht in the Eredivisie. The last time they did was on 21 April 1985, when Excelsior beat Utrecht 1-0 at Woudestein.
“Of course there’s pressure”, FC Twente coach Michel Preud’homme said on Friday. “But we’ve been working all season to get into a position to play for the prizes, so let’s enjoy it.” Twente come from a hard fought 2-1 win at ADO Den Haag last week. Twente can already secure the title on Sunday, if they win and Ajax lose at sc Heerenveen.
Twente have the longest active undefeated streak in the Eredivisie. The title holders did not lose in their last seven matches. Historically Willem II is an easy opponent. Twente are undefeated in their last 16 matches against the Tricolores (home and away), winning 13 and only drawing 3.
If Willem II lose and VVV-Venlo grab a point at home against Feyenoord on Sunday, the Tilburg club will be relegated. It would be Willem II’s fourth relegation in club history, the last time being in the 1983/84 season. The club were present in the Dutch top flight from the 1988/89 onwards.
If ADO reach top five one of the Netherland’s most famous talk show host, Mathijs van Nieuwkerk, will shave his head bold due to a bet he made on television a couple of years ago. ADO are currently ranked sixth, level on points with number five Roda JC. The club from the residence will have to hold off seventh ranked Groningen on Sunday.
Dmitri Bulykin will be available to ADO coach John van den Brom. The Belarus striker was suspected to have hot FC Twente defender Douglas last week, but he was acquitted after the disciplinary committee studied video footage. Bulykin is joint second on the season’s current top scorers ranking with 19 goals.
FC Groningen are still aiming at a top four spot, but coach Pieter Huistra thinks the current number four AZ has the best chance. “We already qualified for the play-offs for a Europa League ticket and thus reached our season’s goals.”
PSV threw away their chances losing 3-1 to Feyenoord last week. If Twente and Ajax both win their penultimate match the club from Eindhoven is eliminated in the title race. On the last match day Twente travels to Ajax for what probably will be the decisive game. If Ajax grab the title, it will be their thirtieth in club history.
After 32 match rounds Twente and Ajax have 68 points and 67 points respectively. Last season they ended up champions and runners-up with 86 points and 85 points respectively.
PSV lost its advantage over FC Twente and Ajax in the title race when the club lost 3-1 at Feyenoord last week. Coach Fred Rutten still hopes for the championship. “We’ll have to win are last two matches and hope for the others to drop points. Ajax face a tough match at Heerenveen on Sunday.”
Rutten will have to play without the suspended defenders Erik Pieters, Stanislav Manolev and striker Jeremain Lens, but the coach can count on Swedish striker Ola Toivionen, who already netted 15 times this season.
Vitesse are currently ranked fourteenth. The club stated the ambition to become champions within three years at the beginning of the current season. They’ll have to climb 13 spots on the ranking. The longest two year route to the title in Eredivisien history is from DWS. The Amsterdam club finished 16th in 1961/62, was relegated and became champions in 1963/64 in the season following promotion.
“Everybody is aware of the fact that we are two victories away from the title”, said Frank de Boer on Friday. The Ajax coach is confident, but cautious. “We’ll have to win at Heerenveen first, before we should allow ourselves to think of the last match against FC Twente.”
De Boer can become the third coach to grab the title with Ajax after having won the Championship as an Ajax player as well. Only Rinus Michels and Ronald Koeman managed to do that. Johan Cruijff, who’s new plan is being executed within the club at the moment, took several titles as an Ajax player, but never won it as coach of the Amsterdam club.
Ajax can win its 30th title. With 29 championships the club is Dutch record holder. Worldwide only 18 clubs managed to win 30 or more national titles, amongst them Argentine River Plate, Spanish Real Madrid (31) and Belgian Anderlecht. Scottish Glasgow Rangers (53) has the world record.
Feyenoord got a confidence boost when they took revenge for the 10-0 away defeat at PSV, beating the Eindhoven club 3-1 in Rotterdam last week. Despite their very poor first half of the season, Feyenoord are still in contention for the European play-offs.
VVV-Venlo for their part are still not sure to avoid ending up rock bottom by the end of the season. The Limburg club have a three point advantage over Willem II with only two matches to play.
At home Feyenoord beat VVV 3-0 this season. Georginio Wijnaldum scored twice and André Bahia also netted for the home team. In Venlo Feyenoord always seem to encounter many difficulties. The visitors only won twice in 18 previous matches. The last away win dates back to 1991, when Gaston Taument scored the only goal in the Koel to hand Feyenoord a 1-0 victory.
NEC have a theoretical chance to qualify for the European play-offs, but that would involve many improbabilities. The home crowd in Nijmegen will say farewell to Björn Vleminckx, who will move to Belgian Club Brugge this summer.
Vleminckx had a prolific season in his second year at NEC. The Belgian striker equaled Hans Venneker’s 43-year-old club record scoring 19 goals in one Eredivisie season for the red-black-green brigade. Vleminckx lost his top spot on the Eredivisie top scorers ranking to Mads Junker last week, but it is still possible to become the first Belgian Eredivisie top scorer since PSV’s Luc Nilis in the 1996/97 season.
Roda JC are still in contention for the fourth spot on the table. The last Eredivisie top five finish of the current number five was in the 2000/01 season, when Roda finished fourth.
Heracles Almelo still hope to qualify for the play-offs for a Europa League ticket, but NAC Breda have nothing to play for anymore. The club are ranked thirteenth, with neither a chance for European play-offs nor fear for relegation play-offs,
Heracles visited Breda eight times before in the Eredivisie and the visitors never won. NAC defeated Heracles four times and the match ended in a draw another four times.
This season Hercales crushed NAC 4-1 in Almelo. Samuel Armenteros, Mark-Jan Fledderus, Willy Overtoom and Glynor scored for the home team and Kees Luijckx made the consolation goal for the visitors. Heracles never managed to beat NAC twice in one Eredivisie season before.
AZ are currently ranked fourth and the can secure that spot with a win if Roda JC drop points at NEC on Sunday. If De Graafschap win, they are sure to avoid relegation this season. That would please Andries Ulderink, who was appointed the news manager for next season in Doetinchem this week.
De Graafschap visited AZ 14 times before in the Eredivisie and the visitors only won three times. AZ won ten times and the match ended in a draw once.
This season De Graafschap defeated AZ 2-1 in Doetinchem. Graziano Pellè scored the first goal for the visitors, but Rydell Poepon and Hugo Bargas secured the win for the home team.
Excelsior still have a theoretical chance to avoid the relegation play-offs, but if De Graafschap grab one point from their last two matches, Excelsior will have to save their Eredivisie live in post season.
FC Utrecht hopes to qualify for another type of post season matches. Being ranked eighth Utrecht defend the last spot on the table that qualifies for the play-offs for a Europa League ticket.
Excelsior only managed to win twice in sixteen previous home encounters against Utrecht in the Eredivisie. The last time they did was on 21 April 1985, when Excelsior beat Utrecht 1-0 at Woudestein.
“Of course there’s pressure”, FC Twente coach Michel Preud’homme said on Friday. “But we’ve been working all season to get into a position to play for the prizes, so let’s enjoy it.” Twente come from a hard fought 2-1 win at ADO Den Haag last week. Twente can already secure the title on Sunday, if they win and Ajax lose at sc Heerenveen.
Twente have the longest active undefeated streak in the Eredivisie. The title holders did not lose in their last seven matches. Historically Willem II is an easy opponent. Twente are undefeated in their last 16 matches against the Tricolores (home and away), winning 13 and only drawing 3.
If Willem II lose and VVV-Venlo grab a point at home against Feyenoord on Sunday, the Tilburg club will be relegated. It would be Willem II’s fourth relegation in club history, the last time being in the 1983/84 season. The club were present in the Dutch top flight from the 1988/89 onwards.
If ADO reach top five one of the Netherland’s most famous talk show host, Mathijs van Nieuwkerk, will shave his head bold due to a bet he made on television a couple of years ago. ADO are currently ranked sixth, level on points with number five Roda JC. The club from the residence will have to hold off seventh ranked Groningen on Sunday.
Dmitri Bulykin will be available to ADO coach John van den Brom. The Belarus striker was suspected to have hot FC Twente defender Douglas last week, but he was acquitted after the disciplinary committee studied video footage. Bulykin is joint second on the season’s current top scorers ranking with 19 goals.
FC Groningen are still aiming at a top four spot, but coach Pieter Huistra thinks the current number four AZ has the best chance. “We already qualified for the play-offs for a Europa League ticket and thus reached our season’s goals.”
