Preview: AZ Alkmaar vs Heerenveen - prediction, team news, lineups

AZ Alkmaar host SC Heerenveen at the AFAS Stadion on Sunday afternoon, aiming to create some breathing space between themselves and the visitors, who sit just one place and one point behind them in the Eredivisie table.

Meanwhile, Heerenveen will be hoping to secure their first victory away at AZ since October 2019, with the added incentive of leapfrogging their hosts in the standings this weekend.

Match preview

AZ Alkmaar bounced back from their 3-0 defeat to Groningen before the international break with a 2-0 victory over Fortuna Sittard last weekend, as Mexx Meerdink and Sven Mijnans scored two first-half goals to secure the win.

After suffering defeats to FC Utrecht and PSV Eindhoven, AZ responded in emphatic fashion by cruising past bottom club Heracles with a dominant 4-0 victory.

Head coach Lee-Roy Echteld has impressed with 10 wins from 17 matches across all competitions, although he has also overseen three defeats in the last five league games.

Despite last weekend’s victory, a 3-0 midweek defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League quarter-final presents a significant challenge ahead of next week’s return fixture.

The reverse fixture in November produced four goals as Heerenveen claimed a 3-1 victory, but AZ have performed better at home in recent seasons, including a 9-1 demolition of Sunday’s visitors two seasons ago.

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Heerenveen head into this clash on a five-match unbeaten run and continued their impressive form last weekend with a 4-1 thrashing of bottom club Heracles Almelo.

Robin Veldman’s side have emerged as one of the division’s in-form teams after collecting 19 points from their last eight fixtures.

Their only defeat during that period came in a 3-1 loss to champions PSV Eindhoven, while they also secured a 2-2 draw away to third-placed NEC Nijmegen before the March international break.

Sitting seventh with 44 points, just one behind AZ, De Superfriezen have already surpassed their 2023-24 tally by exceeding the 43 points they achieved last season, highlighting the impressive work Veldman has done in his first full campaign.

The visitors are unbeaten in their last two away trips and have recorded five wins from 14 matches on the road this season, alongside three draws and six defeats.

AZ Alkmaar Eredivisie form:

AZ Alkmaar form (all competitions):

Heerenveen Eredivisie form:

Team News

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AZ are expected to remain without Jizz Hornkamp, Peer Koopmeiners and Ro-Zangelo Daal for this weekend’s clash with Heerenveen.

Jordy Clasie returned to action last weekend after six months out with injury, making an 18-minute cameo appearance against Fortuna Sittard.

For the visitors, attacking midfielder Levi Smans remains a long-term absentee with a knee injury and has missed the last 32 matches since August 2025, while left-winger Amourricho van Axel Dongen is reportedly ill and could also be unavailable again this weekend.

Joris van Overeem, Vasilios Zagaritis, Maas Willemsen and Oliver Braude are all one yellow card away from suspension.

AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:

Zoet; Goes, Van Duijl, De Wit; Kasius, Smit, Dijkstra, Mijnans; Jensen, Patati, Meerdink

Heerenveen possible starting lineup:

Klaverboer; Braude, Kersten, Willemsen, Zagaritis; Linday, Overeem; Trenskow, Meerveld, Rivera; Nordas

We say: AZ Alkmaar 3-1 Heerenveen

This fixture regularly produces goals, and Sunday’s encounter at the AFAS Stadion could deliver another entertaining spectacle for neutral fans.

However, with recent trends favouring home teams, AZ are expected to claim all three points and widen the gap in the race for European qualification next season.

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