Aiming to maintain their invincible status at home in the top flight, Heerenveen will welcome Dutch powerhouses Ajax to Abe Lenstra Stadion on Sunday afternoon for an all-important Eredivisie clash.
De Superfriezen suffered a sobering cup defeat last time out ahead of this league fixture, whilst De Godenzonen also experienced a premature exit from the KNVB Cup.
Match preview
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Since returning from the mid-season break in the middle of January, Heerenveen have endured a mixed start to the new calendar year, securing an Eredivisie success at the home of newly-promoted NAC Breda last weekend before suffering an embarrassing cup loss at third-tier leaders Quick Boys.
With only league action to focus on now until the end of the 2024-25 campaign, De Superfriezen will be keen to put Thursday night's cup horror show firmly behind them, with Sunday's hosts looking to continue a simply sensational run of form in front of their home faithful in the top flight.
Heerenveen join pacesetters PSV Eindhoven, Ajax and FC Twente as the only four sides in the Eredivisie who still boast an unbeaten record at their respective bases, with this weekend's hosts winning five and drawing three of their eight top-flight matches at Abe Lenstra Stadion, conceding just four times.
Ahead of Sunday's visit of the most successful club in the country, De Superfreizen are currently occupying ninth position in the Eredivisie rankings, just a single point behind eighth-placed Fortuna Sittard, meaning that a European push during the second half of the term remains a possibility.
Taking the reins of his first senior side following a spell in charge of Feyenoord's youth outfit last season, Dutch legend Robin van Persie is quickly learning the ropes of the first-team stage, with the former Manchester United and Arsenal hotshot victorious in eight of his 19 matches to date.
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Following a woeful fifth-placed finish last season - the club's worst of the 21st century - Ajax are making good steps towards a return to their dominant best at the top of the Dutch scene, although the Amsterdam-based outfit face a real battle to lift their first Eredivisie crown since 2022.
Despite losing just two of their opening 18 top-flight fixtures, De Godenzonen are only sitting in second spot in the Eredivisie table, four points behind current pacesetters PSV, who have won a sensational 55 competitive matches since the arrival of Peter Bosz as head coach in June 2023.
Also a former manager in France's Ligue 1, Francesco Farioli is showing signs of being the man to guide Ajax back to the very summit of club football in the Netherlands, with the forward-thinking Italian losing just five of his 32 contests so far following a summer switch from Nice.
Despite plenty of optimism for the future at the Johan Cruijff Arena, there was a significant defeat for De Godenzonen on Tuesday night, when goals either side of the half-time whistle from Wouter Goes and Mexx Meerdink secured AZ Alkmaar's spot in the quarter-finals of the KNVB Cup.
After a distinct lack of leadership during a troubling two years between 2022 and 2024, it is the old guard who are holding up the fort at the top end of the pitch for Ajax this campaign, with Davy Klaassen and Wout Weghorst leading their team's Golden Boot race with six Eredivisie strikes apiece.
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Team News
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Picking up his fifth yellow card of the league season during the victory in Breda last weekend, Heerenveen defender Oliver Braude will serve a one-match suspension on Sunday.
As a result, De Superfriezen will need to find a new solution at right-back, with 23-year-old Denzel Hall the most likely candidate for that particular role in the backline.
Ajax are also dealing with an injury concern at full-back in the form of Owen Wijndal, who is expected back from a knock at the end of the month.
De Godenzonen are prepared to be without the talents and experience of Dutchman Klaassen, with the veteran picking up an issue during the win over RKC Waalwijk.
Gaston Avila (knee) remains a long-term absentee for Sunday's visitors, with the Argentinian defender yet to feature for the title chasers this term.
Heerenveen possible starting lineup:
Van der Hart; Hall, Hopland, De Wijs, Kohlert; Conde, Linday, Nunnely, Smans, Trenskow; Rallis
Ajax possible starting lineup:
Pasveer; Rensch, Rugani, Baas, Hato; Henderson, Fitz-Jim, Taylor; Berghuis, Godts, Brobbey
We say: Heerenveen 1-1 Ajax
With a number of key injuries and suspensions in defence, Heerenveen could be an easier nut to crack than usual at their Abe Lenstra fortress on Sunday.
Ajax will be desperate to returning to winning ways following their KNVB Cup loss last time out, although we feel that De Godenzonen will be forced to settle for a point.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
