Preview: FC Twente vs DAC Dunajska Streda - prediction, team news, lineups

FC Twente and DAC Dunajska Streda kick off their Conference League third-round qualifying tie at De Grolsch Veste on Thursday evening.

Both teams are aiming to feature in Europe's newest competition for the first time since its inception five years ago, but only one can progress to the play-offs later this month to face Dynamo Kyiv or Qarabag.

Match preview

Twente sat third in the Eredivisie table heading into their final match of the 2025-26 campaign and looked poised to keep their hopes of a first Champions League return since 2010 alive.

However, a 5-1 defeat to Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven, coupled with NEC's 2-1 win over Go Ahead Eagles, saw John van den Brom's side drop to fourth, leaving a place in the Europa League as the best on offer.

As a result, the Tukkers faced Ferencvaros in their first qualifying tie, losing 4-3 on aggregate after a 2-2 second-leg draw, and have now been demoted to the Conference League qualifiers.

As in their most recent European tie, Twente are again favourites to advance but head into Thursday's first leg winless in their last three competitive outings and having managed just one victory from the last six - a 4-0 demolition of Sparta Rotterdam on May 10.

Conceding first in six of their last seven outings overall, the Enschede-based side have found slow starts to be a growing vulnerability and will need to be wary against opponents who have opened the scoring in five consecutive matches.

With their 2026-27 Eredivisie opener just three days later, Twente must strike the right balance as they juggle domestic and continental commitments.

While they were unsuccessful in their quest to unseat Slovan Bratislava as league champions, Dunajska Streda finished as runners-up for the third time in four years last season, continuing their recent domestic resurgence.

For Robert Klauss's side, the next objective is European qualification, a task the 41-year-old German manager has been assigned in his debut campaign since succeeding Branislav Fodrek.

Klauss has made a strong start as head coach, winning and keeping clean sheets in three of his first four official matches, including both legs of DAC's second-round tie against Velez Mostar. His tenure so far has been marked by solidity at both ends, with seven goals scored and just one conceded.

However, Thursday's trip to the Netherlands represents by far Zlto-modri's toughest assignment of the season, as they seek to break their third-round duck in the Conference League qualifiers, having never progressed beyond this stage in four previous attempts.

Unlike their hosts, the visitors do not have to worry about any league fixture this weekend after their clash with Kosice - initially scheduled for Sunday - was postponed to allow full focus on their European assignment.

FC Twente form (all competitions):

DAC Dunajska Streda Conference League form:

DAC Dunajska Streda form (all competitions):

Team News

Continuing his recent injury-hit spell for Twente, Naci Unuvar has missed the last two matches and remains a doubt for Thursday's game.

New signings Wout Weghorst and Ramiz Zerrouki bring significant European experience, making their inclusion in the hosts' starting XI an easy decision.

Midfielder Harrie Kuster is unavailable following his recent move to Telstar after an impressive 2025-26 season in which he scored 10 goals in 38 league appearances.

Since coming off with a first-half injury in Dunajska Streda's 1-1 draw with Ruzomberok, Andreas Gruber has been sidelined and will be a significant miss.

Uros Kabic, who has benefited most from Gruber's absence, is expected to return to the line-up here despite being an unused substitute against Banska Bystrica last time out.

Ammar Ramadan has scored four goals in his last three matches for the visitors and is certainly one to watch.

FC Twente possible starting lineup:

Unnerstall; Adelgaard, Nijstad, Lemkin, Van Rooy; Van den Belt, Hlynsson, Zerrouki; Orjasaeter, Weghorst, Rots

DAC Dunajska Streda possible starting lineup:

Ivacic; Juklerod, Nemanic, Blazek, Kapanadze; Ramadan, Bationo, Ouro, Kabic; Gueye, Gagua

We say: FC Twente 3-1 DAC Dunajska Streda

From being on the brink of Champions League football, Twente now find themselves chasing a place in the Conference League, a target that will feel like a consolation if achieved.

That said, the Dutch side have too much quality for their Slovak counterparts, and we expect them to secure a comfortable victory.

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