Preview:AZ Alkmaar vs. Heracles - prediction, team news, lineups

With a second-place finish in the Eredivisie still on the cards, AZ Alkmaar play host to Heracles at the AFAS Stadion on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the away side are still in the hunt for a European place and will aim to capitalise on any slip ups with a victory here.

Match preview

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AZ Alkmaar were dealt a blow in their quest to finish as runners-up following a goalless draw against Groningen on Thursday.

Pascal Jansen's men dominated for the majority of the game, but they were reduced to just two efforts on target in the entire 90 minutes.

The Cheeseheads are now three points behind PSV Eindhoven in the race to finish behind Ajax heading into the final gameweek of the campaign.

While a third-place finish is not necessarily a disappointment, it would mean that AZ's 11-year absence from the Champions League continues.

Sunday's hosts have not completed a league double over their visitors since 2018, and they have a chance to end that run after a 2-1 win in November's reverse fixture.

For the second game running, Heracles were involved in a share of the spoils as they played out a 1-1 draw versus Feyenoord on Thursday.

Sinan Bakis converted a penalty four minutes after his side went behind to Orkun Kokcu's opener just past the hour mark.

The Heraclieden are level on points with Sparta Rotterdam as things stand, and they would need results elsewhere to go their way if they are to record a second consecutive eighth-placed finish.

Frank Wormuth's men have lost nine of their last 10 away games at AZ, with their only triumph in that time coming back in 2012.

Team News

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AZ's Pantelis Chatzidiakos is expected to sit the game out as he is yet to feature since suffering a knee injury one month ago.

Timo Letschert has been deputising for his Greek teammate in that time, but he is also ruled out of his side's final outing of the season.

Rens van der Wacht still awaits his first appearance of the campaign, and the 21-year-old is still a considerable way off making his comeback from a muscle injury.

Sinan Bakis has scored six goals in his last five outings, although only one of his ten league strikes this term has come away from home.

AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:

Bizot; Wijndal, Martins Indi, Clasie, Svensson; Stengs, Koopmeiners, Midtsjo; Karlsson, Boadu, Gudmundsson

Heracles possible starting lineup:

Blaswich; Quagliata, Knoester, Propper, Fadiga; Burgzorg, De la Torre, Schoofs, Jakobsen; Bakis, Vloet

We say: AZ Alkmaar 3-1 Heracles

Both sides have all to play for in this one with their respective targets still within touching distance. The onus is more on the home team to show their superiority, and we are tipping them to secure all three points.