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

Heerenveen are the next team attempting to end AZ Alkmaar's unblemished start to this season's Eredivisie, with the 11th-placed Super Frisians seeking their second league victory of the season.

That aspiration is undeniably feasible, given that AZ have suffered consecutive 3-1 defeats in their last two visits to Abe Lenstra Stadion, pointing to the Alkmaar outfit facing a banana skin this weekend.

Match preview

Heerenveen have had a mixed start to their second full season under Veldman, who has now seen his players win, draw and lose in their first four league matches.

Two of their ties have ended 2-2 away at Ajax and promoted Willem II, sandwiching a 2-0 home loss to PEC Zwolle, which saw the Super Frisians fail to score despite shooting at goal 18 times.

Aiming to win their first game at home since beating FC Twente on the opening weekend, Veldman's men are looking to return to winning ways at a ground where they had avoided defeat in eight games, winning six times, before a shock loss to PEC.

Indeed, the home fans will have reason to enter Sunday afternoon with a confident outlook, having witnessed their side's 3-1 wins over AZ in the corresponding fixtures of 2024-25 and 2025-26.

While visits to Alkmaar have ended in 4-1 and 3-0 losses, De Superfriezen will hope to claim a third consecutive home victory in this fixture, a feat last achieved between August 2013 and April 2016.

AZ may have lost Troy Parrott to Real Betis this summer, but they have not looked shaken or lacking quality, with Leeroy Echteld's men showing their competence at winning games in different ways.

De Kaasboeren have shown their ability to play out routine wins by staying patient, as seen in 2-0 victories over ADO Den Haag and Fortuna Sittard, blowing teams away with their quality by dispatching FC Utrecht (4-1) and outscoring their opponents with last weekend's 5-2 hammering of in-form Go Ahead Eagles.

The previous weekend's success marked the Cheese Farmers' seventh straight win across all competitions, extending their unbeaten run to a staggering 17 matches.

That outstanding run, though, faces a stern test at a ground where the Alkmaar outfit have lost in back-to-back trips, but the travelling fans will hope their team leverage their ongoing run by avoiding a third straight defeat at Abe Lenstra Stadion.

Maximum points are guaranteed to keep AZ top of the table, but dropped points leave them at risk of losing that position to a lurking PSV Eindhoven side ready to pounce.

Heerenveen Eredivisie form:

AZ Alkmaar Eredivisie form:

AZ Alkmaar form (all competitions):

Team News

Heerenveen are without the injured Marcus Linday (knee), Mats Egbring (ankle) and Mees Hilgers (knee), the latter of whom has not played since joining the club from FC Twente.

Only Jacob Trenskow has both scored and assisted for Veldman's men in three matches so far, with the attacking midfielder's three direct involvements — two goals, one assist — marking him out as the leading star with multiple contributions altogether.

AZ have a surfeit of match-winning quality, with Ro-Zangelo Daal notching a brace and proving to be a livewire in last weekend's 5-2 success over Go Ahead Eagles.

Mateo Chavez has hitherto been involved in four goals, scoring one and assisting three from left-back, and the wide defender aims to be decisive again this weekend.

On the injury front, Denso Kasius (groin) and Stije Resink (ACL) are absent for the early-season leaders, despite their strong start to the campaign.

Heerenveen possible starting lineup:

Klaverboer; Braude, Kersten, Willemsen, Zagaritis; Courtens, Proper; Trenskow, Meerveld, Rivera; Vente

AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:

De Busser; Dijkstra, Goes, Schouten, Chavez; Kwakman, Koopmeiners; Patati, Smit, Daal; Meerdink

We say: Heerenveen 1-3 AZ Alkmaar

Although Heerenveen have enjoyed recent home dominance in this fixture, overcoming an unblemished AZ Alkmaar side riding a 17-match unbeaten streak represents a monumental challenge.

As such, Echteld's confident leaders should have far too much attacking quality to slip up and should secure maximum points.

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