Two teams who were on the receiving end of heavy defeats in round 11 of the 2024-25 Eredivisie season will do battle on Saturday evening as Groningen welcome Sparta Rotterdam to Euroborg.
The hosts fell to a humiliating 6-0 defeat at the hands of NEC Nijmegen last time around, while their visitors were comprehensively thrashed 4-1 by FC Utrecht.
Match preview
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After kicking off their return to the Eredivisie with a five-game unbeaten run, including consecutive victories over NAC Breda and RKC Waalwijk, Groningen looked to have taken to life back in the top flight like a duck to water.
However, Dick Lukkien's men have since lost six straight league matches either side of a 5-1 KNVB-Beker triumph over Kolping Boys which remains their only win across all competitions since August 17.
While Trots van het Noorden were a tad unlucky in their 1-0 defeat to Fortuna Sittard, where a Leandro Bacuna own goal four minutes from time settled matters, they were thoroughly beaten by NEC in Sunday's encounter at the Gofferstadion.
Two goals from Koki Ogawa and a Sontje Hansen strike left Groningen with too much to do at half time before Vito van Crooy, Sami Ouaissa and Thomas Ouwejan all got in on the act to add insult to injury.
Despite coming away empty-handed from six straight matches, Groningen are still outside the drop zone, albeit only on goal difference ahead of this weekend's encounter against an opposing outfit who have picked up four wins and one draw from the most recent five clashes.
With a trip to current leaders PSV Eindhoven to come right after the international break, Saturday's hosts could really do with a victory in this one ahead of what is expected to be their toughest assignment to date.
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A few days on since ending their four-game winless streak with a 6-1 rout of USV Hercules in the Dutch Cup, Sparta Rotterdam were sent crashing back down to earth when FC Utrecht came visiting the Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel on Sunday afternoon.
Despite the dismissal of Jeroen Rijsdijk, Sparta saw their first-half defensive woes come to the fore once again as they went behind to Victor Jensen's opener before late goals from Miguel Rodriguez, Paxten Aaronson and Mike van der Hoorn put the result beyond doubt.
Since closing out September with four points from their final two matches, De Rood-Witte Gladiatoren have managed just one point from the next 12 available, having suffered defeats against PSV, Heerenveen and most recently Utrecht in that time.
As a result, it is no surprise to see them down in 13th place at the moment, just two points afloat of relegation danger and in need of an urgent pick-me-up heading into the final international break of the year.
While Saturday's visitors have found the back of the net in all but two of their league involvements this term, their work in defence has often left a lot to be desired, with no clean sheets in 10 straight outings dating back to an opening share of the spoils against Heracles.
New manager Maurice Steijn will be desperate to make a winning start to life after returning for a second stint at the helm of affairs off the back of a successful spell between April 2022 and June 2023.
Team News
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Tika de Jonge and Marvin Peersman are both back available for Groningen having made their return to action from respective injury problems against NEC last time out.
However, Peersman is currently walking a suspension tightrope ahead of Saturday's game, as he is currently only one yellow card away from incurring a suspension.
Sparta Rotterdam's Teo Quintero is still out of contention with a torn meniscus which is set to keep the defender out of a sixth game on the bounce.
Jonathan de Guzman also misses out due to a muscle problem, while Djevencio van der Kust is ineligible to feature after receiving his marching orders against Utrecht.
In Van der Kust's absence, 18-year-old Mike Kleijn could be recalled to the visitors' lineup for what would be only a second starting appearance of the season.
Groningen possible starting lineup:
Vaessen; Prins, Rente, Peersman, Bacuna; Valente, Hove, De Jonge, Schreuders; Van Bergen, Willumsson
Sparta Rotterdam possible starting lineup:
Olij; Kleijn, Eerdhuijzen, Young, Bakari; Clement, Kitolano; Kayky, Verschueren, Nassoh; Brym
We say: Groningen 1-1 Sparta Rotterdam
There is little to choose between the teams heading into this weekend's contest, which could easily swing either way, and consequently, we are backing a share of the spoils come the sound of the final whistle.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
