AZ Alkmaar and Willem II will draw the curtain on gameweek 12 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie campaign with a meeting at the AFAS Stadion on Sunday evening.
Both teams were beaten in their last league encounters as the hosts fell to a narrow defeat against Feyenoord, while the visitors came away empty-handed against FC Twente.
Match preview
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Having let a two-goal lead slip against Go Ahead Eagles in round 11, AZ Alkmaar were beaten for the sixth time in seven games across all competitions in a 3-2 loss to fellow heavyweights Feyenoord in Saturday's meeting at De Kuip.
Maarten Martens's men were rewarded for their first-half performance two minutes before the interval when Troy Parrott broke the deadlock, after which a David Moller Wolfe own goal and strikes from Luka Ivanusec and Ibrahim Osman settled matters, rendering Mexx Meerdink's late effort inconsequential.
However, De Kaasboeren secured a much-needed return to winning ways in their Europa League group-stage clash against Turkish Super Lig outfit Fenerbahce on Thursday, earning a routine 3-1 triumph.
That victory has revived AZ's European journey, moving them into the playoff places in the race to make it through to the knockout stages, and they will now seek a renaissance on the domestic front this weekend.
Sunday's hosts head into the clash sitting sixth in the Eredivisie table with 17 points from their 11 matches, three fewer points from the relegation playoff place (eight) than the gap to Utrecht in second place.
A win just before the international break could be the catalyst for stringing together a decent run of results, and AZ have every reason to be bullish about their chances of coming out on top having won three of the most recent four editions of this fixture.
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For the second consecutive league outing, Willem II were on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline as they entertained the challenge of FC Twente at the Koning Willem II Stadion in Tilburg on Saturday afternoon.
Despite being under the cosh for large spells of the first half, Peter Maes's men held firm to go into the interval on level terms before eventually conceding a 58th-minute strike from Sam Lammers which proved to be the all-important moment.
Since picking up five points from a possible nine to start the season, Willem II have managed just seven from the subsequent 24 available to sit 11th in the standings, just three points clear of the teams in the bottom three.
A lack of attacking productivity has been Willem II's biggest Achilles' heel so far, with their tally of 10 goals scored only higher than Almere City (six) and RKC Waalwijk (10)—the bottom two teams in the division.
Ahead of a clash against fellow newcomers NAC Breda right after the upcoming hiatus, Sunday's visitors now go in search of a second away triumph in a row that could potentially propel them into the top half of the table.
Team News
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Bruno Martins Indi and Ibrahim Sadiq are unavailable for AZ Alkmaar this weekend through muscle injuries as Ruben van Bommel continues to nurse a foot problem.
Sem Westerveld remains out of contention with a torn meniscus and is joined on the sidelines by Jordy Clasie, Ernest Poku, Lewis Schouten and Lequincio Zeefuik.
Twenty-year-old Zico Buurmeester has missed each of his side's last four matches through injury, but the midfielder is closing in on making a return to full fitness.
Erik Schouten remains unavailable for Willem II, and the 33-year-old is still facing an extended spell on the sidelines despite being out of contention since May.
Dani Mathieu (knock) and Niels van Berkel (knee) are also unfit to play any part in this one, while Dutchmen Khaled Razak and Valentino Vermeulen continue to step up their recovery from respective injury problems.
Amar Ahmed is a doubt for the away side this weekend after coming off with an injury scare just past the half-hour mark in Saturday's defeat to Twente.
AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:
Owusu-Oduro; Maikuma, Penetra, Dekker, De Wit; Kwakman, Mijnans, Koopmeiners; Addai, Parrott, Lahdo
Willem II possible starting lineup:
Didillon; Sigurgeirsson, St. Jago, Behounek, Tirpan; Lackhar, Bosch, Meerveld; Kehrer, Vaesen, Sandra
We say: AZ Alkmaar 2-1 Willem II
AZ Alkmaar turned in their most impressive performance for a long time to see off Fenerbahce on Thursday, and that should lift the spirits heading into this weekend's clash.
We are tipping the home side to get the job done and give their fans reason to cheer 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
