Preview: FC Utrecht vs. Heracles - prediction, team news, lineups

FC Utrecht welcome Heracles to Stadion Galgenwaard in gameweek one of the Eredivisie on Sunday, aiming to begin the 2025-26 season positively.

Ron Jans guided the club to fourth place in 2024-25, Utreg's highest finish since the 2016-17 season, and they host a side that finished 14th in the Dutch top flight.

Match preview

Having been appointed at Utrecht two years ago with the Cupfighters already a top-half side, Jans emulated the seventh-place finishes of Rick Kruys and Michael Silberbauer in 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively, before making significant history in 2024-25 by finishing fourth.

Not since Erik ten Hag guided the club to fourth in 2016-17 have Utrecht finished so high in the top flight, but Jans mirrored the former boss after eight years to guide Domstedelingen into Europa League qualifying.

While last season's iteration won the same number of games as Ten Hag's team in 16-17, Jans's men lost six times, two fewer than eight years ago, resulting in the Cupfighters ending with 64 points, Utrecht's highest tally in the three-points-for-a-win era.

Following a mixed pre-season that included two wins and three losses, Utrecht's form has improved in Europe, as shown by three wins from three matches, putting them one step away from the Europa League playoff round.

Despite the lack of clean sheets, Jans's team comfortably beat Sheriff Tiraspol 7-2 on aggregate in the second qualifying round and achieved a commendable 3-1 win in the first leg against Servette on Thursday in Switzerland, giving them a clear advantage heading into next week's reverse fixture at Stadion Galgenwaard.

Hoping that their hosts are distracted by European commitments, Heracles are aiming for their first Eredivisie win over the Cupfighters since February 2022.

Nonetheless, HAFC did win the most recent encounter between the clubs in February, when they secured a 2-0 KNVB Cup victory over Utreg on home turf, a fortnight after holding Jans and his team to a 1-1 draw in the league.

However, they face an uphill task to secure a positive result in Utrecht, considering that all three of Heracles's wins in the last 10 matches across all competitions have been in Almelo.

Notably, HAFC’s last win against the Cupfighters in Utrecht was in a playoff match in May 2016, while their most recent regular season victory was nearly two years earlier, in December 2014, with a 4-2 win, highlighting Heraclieden’s struggles on their travels against Utreg.

With seven of their most recent eight trips ending in defeats, Heracles have failed to score in their last five visits to Utrecht, which emphasises the challenge facing Bas Sibum, who leads his new team out for their first competitive fixture on Sunday.

Results in the off-season have been promising, with the new boss leading his team to four wins from six matches, losing only once, and scoring in every game, giving the travelling support renewed confidence of finally breaking their drought in visits to the Europa League hopefuls.

FC Utrecht form (all competitions):

Heracles friendlies form:

Team News

Utrecht will assess Can Bozdogan, Rafik El Arguioui and Zidane Iqbal before their first Eredivisie game of the season but for their fourth competitive match.

Souffian El Karouani's influence from left-back has been evident during Europa League qualifying, setting up two goals in the first leg against Sheriff, scoring and assisting in the return fixture and providing an assist in Thursday's win over Servette.

Having scored twice and assisted eight last season in the Eredivisie, the wide defender's attacking forays could be crucial to Sunday's result.

Heracles have a few injury doubts for this weekend, with HAFC evaluating Jordy Bruijn and Sava-Arangel Cestic before Sunday.

Luka Kulenovic was the away side's top scorer last season, and the nine-goal striker is expected to lead the attack for Sibum’s team on Sunday.

Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Ajdin Hrustic and Mike te Wierik, all of whom joined on free transfers this summer, are likely to start in gameweek one.

FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:

Barkas; Horemans, Van der Hoorn, Viergever, El Karouani; Jensen, Zechiel, Engwanda; Blake, Min, Cathline

Heracles possible starting lineup:

Jansink; Benita, Wierik, Tijink, Milani; Reine-Adelaide, Kaam, Oorschot; Hrustic, Kulenovic, Engels

We say: FC Utrecht 3-1 Heracles

While the home team’s lack of clean sheets so far this season suggests Heracles might finally score in Utrecht for the first time in six years, the hosts’ stronger attacking options should secure a fourth competitive win for Jans’s side and their first in the Eredivisie to start the league campaign positively.

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