Preview: Ajax vs NEC - prediction, team news, lineups

Ajax Amsterdam welcome NEC Nijmegen to the iconic Johan Cruijff Arena on Saturday for a compelling Eredivisie showdown, with both sides chasing vital points at a crucial stage of the season.

With little separating the Sons of the Gods and their visitors in the league table, the fixture carries added significance, as both clubs look to gain a decisive edge in the standings and strengthen their respective campaigns heading into the run-in.

Match preview

Ajax brought an emphatic end to their three-match winless streak on Saturday by thrashing Fortuna Sittard 4–1 at the Johan Cruijff Arena, a result that kept the Sons of the Gods fourth in the table behind this weekend’s visitors as the Eredivisie season moves into a decisive stretch.

De Godenzonen occupy fourth place in the 2025-26 Eredivisie standings with 42 points from 23 matches, level with NEC but trailing on goal difference, ensuring the race for European qualification remains finely balanced heading into the latter phase of the campaign.

Their recent form has been mixed yet encouraging, with the commanding win over Fortuna restoring momentum after successive draws against AZ Alkmaar and Excelsior, while an attack that has now scored in 14 consecutive league matches since October 2025 continues to underline Ajax’s offensive consistency.

This season has represented both adjustment and response for Fred Grim’s side, who rebounded from a difficult Champions League group stage and inconsistent domestic spell by grinding out key results to stay firmly in contention for Europe, averaging roughly two goals per league game and regularly featuring in high-scoring encounters.

At the Johan Cruijff Arena, Ajax’s attacking intensity has been particularly notable, having scored over 1.5 goals in each of their last 40 matches across all competitions, with many strikes arriving after the interval — a sustained offensive rhythm that makes them especially formidable at home and could prove decisive against NEC’s high-tempo style.

Historically, Ajax have dominated this fixture, winning 82 of their 109 meetings with NEC, alongside 21 draws and just six defeats, yet they are winless in the last two encounters, including a 2–2 draw in the reverse fixture that followed a 3–0 home loss to NEC in May 2025.

NEC have emerged as the Eredivisie’s surprise contenders this season, with the Nijmegen club firmly in the race for European qualification as they sit third on goal difference, level on points with Saturday’s hosts ahead of a pivotal weekend in the table.

Dick Schreuder’s side endured a disrupted schedule after last weekend’s meeting with Sparta Rotterdam was abandoned after just six minutes due to persistent snowfall, and when the rearranged fixture was completed on Tuesday, NEC had to rely on substitute Koki Ogawa, whose 73rd-minute glancing header secured a 1-1 draw at Sparta and ensured they returned to their current position in the standings.

That result followed a 3-1 home defeat to Utrecht, meaning the Eniesee have dropped points in each of their last two outings, although victory in Amsterdam could temporarily lift them into second place with Feyernoord playing on Sunday.

The loss to Utrecht also brought an end to an impressive 13-match unbeaten run in all competitions stretching back to early November, when they suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat in the reverse fixture against the same opposition.

Away from home, NEC have been particularly potent in attack, scoring 28 goals in 11 league matches on the road, yet a porous defensive record — conceding 22 in the same span — has limited that output to five victories, underlining both their threat and their vulnerability heading into Saturday’s showdown.

Ajax Eredivisie form:

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Ajax form (all competitions):

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NEC Eredivisie form:

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NEC form (all competitions):

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Team News

Oleksandr Zinchenko has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after sustaining a serious injury on his first home appearance for Dutch giants Ajax, with the Ukrainian defender named in the starting XI for the first time since arriving from Arsenal at the beginning of February only to see his full debut cut short within minutes as he was forced off.

Head coach Fred Grim will also be without Steven Berghuis for the clash with NEC Nijmegen due to injury, there is, however, a boost in attack, as new signing Maher Carrizo has received his work permit following his transfer from Velez Sarsfield, making the 20-year-old winger eligible for selection and in line for a potential debut.

For the visitors, Sami Ouaissa is set to return after serving a one-match suspension in the draw at Sparta Rotterdam, having been sidelined due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

Schreuder, meanwhile, reports a clean bill of health within his squad, and Japanese forward Ogawa will aim to build on his recent impact after coming off the bench to score against Sparta, taking his league tally to eight goals alongside three assists.

Ajax possible starting lineup:

Jaros; Rosa, Sutalo, Baas, Wijndal; Mokio, Klaassen, Steur; Bounida, Dolberg, Godts

NEC possible starting lineup:

Crettaz; Dasa, Kaplan, Sandler; Onal, Sano, Nejasmic, Ouaissa; Lebreton, Chery, Ogawa

We say: Ajax 2-2 NEC

For the neutral, this promises to be a captivating encounter, with Ajax installed as favourites largely due to home advantage and their historically dominant record in this fixture; however, with one eye potentially on their Champions League play-off second leg against Olympiacos, the dynamics of the contest could yet shift.

A similar outcome to the reverse meeting would not be a surprise, as that high-scoring affair ended level, and another open contest with goals at both ends and the points shared appears a realistic expectation.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.