Matchday 18 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season sees Heracles and Sparta Rotterdam go head-to-head at the Erve Asito on Saturday afternoon in a crunch relegation six-pointer.
A torrid end to 2024 has left the teams currently embroiled in a frenetic battle for survival, and every point dropped from here on out could prove costly to their top-flight status.
Match preview
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Having ended last season with just one point from their final five games, Heracles could see the handwriting firmly on the wall that a turbulent campaign was on the horizon if no drastic measures were taken.
Failing to win any of their opening five games this term, Erwin van de Looi's men continued to struggle for results but ended September with consecutive victories against NEC Nijmegen and Heerenveen.
However, that proved to be only a temporary reprieve, with De Poupers managing just one win from their nine matches since then to sit 15th in the Eredivisie table, two points clear of their upcoming opponents in the relegation playoff spot, albeit with a game in hand.
Heracles were poised to make their numerical advantage count in December's clash against Groningen, which was ended 15 minutes from time due to safety concerns stemming from the away end.
Unbeaten in seven of their last eight home matches, Saturday's hosts will need to continue being hard to beat in front of their fans if they are to pull away from the teams around them in what is shaping up to be a frenetic relegation scrap.
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After a near-perfect pre-season round of matches that yielded seven wins and a draw from eight matches, Sparta kicked off the new campaign with the wind in their sails but needed four attempts to pick up their first win off the back of three straight stalemates.
De Kasteelheren continued to blow hot and cold which ultimately led to the dismissal of Jeroen Rijsdijk in favour of Maurice Steijn for a second spell at Het Kasteel, where he previously managed between April 2022 and June 2023.
Steijn's return has, however, not had the desired effect, with Sparta losing six of his seven matches in charge, most recently a 2-0 defeat to Ajax just before the mid-season hiatus courtesy of goals in the final 13 minutes from Kenneth Taylor and Bertrand Traore.
A tally of 12 points from 17 matches this term has Sparta currently 16th in the standings ahead of the upcoming trip to an opposing ground where they have emerged victorious on each of their last three visits.
In the first of two consecutive crunch clashes at the bottom for Saturday's visitors, the Rotterdam-based outfit could really do with all three points this weekend before playing host to RKC Waalwijk next Sunday.
Team News
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Nikolai Laursen will not play any part for Heracles here as he continues his spell on the sidelines with a knee problem.
Twenty-three-year-old Sava-Arangel Cestic will also miss Saturday's clash due to an ankle problem and is joined on the hosts' treatment table by Stijn Bultman.
Justin Hoogma recently made his return to action from a head injury, although the 26-year-old defender is not expected to be handed a starting role here.
Jonathan de Guzman featured in all but two of Sparta's league matches last season but has made just one appearance this term due to a niggling injury problem.
Thirty-year-old Said Bakari is a major doubt for the away side after having to come off in the final knockings of the 2-0 defeat to Ajax just before Christmas.
Heracles possible starting lineup:
De Keijzer; Benita, Mirani, Mesik, Milani; Podgoreanu, Scheperman, De Keersmaecker, Engels; Hornkamp, Kulenovic
Sparta Rotterdam possible starting lineup:
Olij; Van Aanholt, Young, Meissen, Reith; Baas, Verschueren, Kitolano; Mito, Lauritsen, Clement
We say: Heracles 1-1 Sparta Rotterdam
Clean sheets have been a rare occurrence for both teams, and we expect neither of them to come away unscathed from this one.
That said, we are also backing a share of the spoils with honours even at the end of the 90 minutes.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adepoju Marvellous
