AZ Alkmaar and PSV Eindhoven draw the curtains on their 2022-23 Eredivisie campaigns when they go head to head in a mouth-watering season finale at the AFAS Stadion on Sunday.
While AZ will be looking to leapfrog Ajax into the Europa League qualification spot, the Rood-witten require at least a draw to confirm a second-placed finish and a spot in the Champions League qualifiers.
Match preview
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AZ Alkmaar ensured that their hunt for Europa League qualification goes down to the wire as they thrashed 10-man Nijmegen 3-0 when the sides squared off last Sunday.
In a game where Dirk Proper received his marching orders, the hosts were no match for AZ as Jesper Karlsson netted either side of Jordy Clasie's 43rd-minute strike at Goffertstadion.
Pascal Jansen's men have now gone five straight games without defeat in the Eredivisie, claiming four wins and one draw since April's 1-0 defeat at the hands of Sparta Rotterdam.
This fine late-season form has kept AZ in the Europa League qualification conversation as they sit within two points of third-placed Ajax heading into the weekend.
Should Ajax avoid a slip-up in their season finale, AZ will take heart in the fact that they have secured their spot in the Europa Conference League, having reached the semi-finals of the competition this season before losing out to West Ham United.
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On the other hand, PSV Eindhoven failed to mathematically confirm their spot in the Champions League qualifiers as they played out a pulsating 3-3 draw with Heerenveen last Sunday.
Late goals from Luuk de Jong and Xavi Simons could only help the Rood-witten salvage a draw as their run of 11 straight victories at the Philips Stadion came to an end.
Prior to that, PSV were on a blistering eight-match winning streak across all competitions, a run which saw them clinch their 11th KNVB beker title courtesy of their penalty-shootout victory over Ajax.
Fred Rutten - who replaced Ruud van Nistelrooy earlier this week - takes over with PSV having gone 16 consecutive matches without defeat, but this run of results has come too late to trouble Feyenoord, whose 10-point lead at the top of the Eredivisie table has seen them clinch the title.
PSV Eindhoven now need a point to secure a top-two finish and a place in the Champions League playoffs as they sit three points above third-placed Ajax, who have a slightly superior goal difference.
Team News
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AZ Alkmaar will finish the season without Bruno Martins Indi and Sem Westerveld, who continue their long spells on the sidelines through hip and knee injuries respectively.
They are joined on the Kaaskoppen's injury table by Danish striker Jens Odgaard, who has missed the last two matches after coming off with a foot problem against Emmen on May 14.
Vangelis Pavlidis took his goal involvement tally to 20 in the league with his hat-trick of assists against Nijmegen and we expect the Greek striker to spearhead the visitors' attack once again.
On the PSV injury front, Rood-witten will take to the pitch without the services of Armando Obispo and Mauro Junior, who are both recuperating from knee injuries.
With his equaliser against Heerenveen, Simons now boasts 25 goal involvements in the league and has been nothing short of a standout performer in his first season in the Dutch top flight.
The 20-year-old, who joined for free from French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain, should lead the AZ attack alongside De Jong and former Aston Villa man Anwar El Ghazi.
AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:
Ryan; Sugawara, Beukema, Hatzidiakos, Kerkez; Mijnans, Clasie, Reijnders; Van Brederode, Pavlidis, Karlsson
PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:
Benitez; Mwene, Silva, Branthwaite, Van Aanholt; Sangare, Til, Veerman; El-Ghazi, De Jong, Simons
We say: AZ Alkmaar 1-1 PSV Eindhoven
Given the stakes of this weekend's clash, we anticipate a cagey affair with the two sides taking a cautious approach to the game. We predict that AZ and PSV will cancel out each other's efforts and settle for a share of the spoils.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
