Preview: Heerenveen vs. Feyenoord - prediction, team news, lineups

Less than a month after their thrilling cup victory at Feyenoord, Heerenveen host the second-placed Eredivisie side on matchday 18, aiming to defeat the Rotterdam giants at Abe Lenstra Stadion.

Having not defeated the visitors in four years, Heerenveen have claimed two wins in the last three encounters, and De Superfriezen seek consecutive wins in this fixture for the first time since January-February 2021.

Match preview

Heerenveen had not defeated Feyenoord in eight meetings before last May’s 2-0 victory at Abe Lenstra Stadion, but they got the better of Van Persie’s team in Rotterdam in December, with both wins sandwiching a 1-0 league defeat in gameweek five.

Responding every time the Stadium Club pegged them back at De Kuip in last month’s cup tie was admirable, as Robin Veldman’s men led 1-0 and 2-1 before finally clinching a late winner in the closing minutes of a match that witnessed four second-half goals.

Defeating Feyenoord in the cup was the second of three consecutive victories in all competitions before the hiatus, signalling a return to form after winning just one of their previous five matches.

That run included a 2-0 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven, ending the club’s five-match league run without losing in front of their supporters, which they hope to restart on Sunday.

While the pre-Christmas form table points to the ninth-placed hosts inflicting Feyenoord’s fifth league loss, Heerenveen not keeping any clean sheet in home games indicates that this weekend’s encounter could be a goal-laden one.

© Iconsport / Iconsport

Feyenoord, aware of games at Abe Lenstra Stadion averaging 3.6 goals this term, will hope the potential openness of this weekend’s fixture is in their favour.

Van Persie’s team arguably needed the break more than anyone else, considering their form before the winter break: seven defeats in 10 matches across all competitions and three losses in six in the Eredivisie during that period.

Having been clean sheet kings at the start of the campaign — accumulating six shutouts in their opening nine games — the Rotterdam giants have conceded a goal in eight straight gameweeks in the top flight, further magnifying the dip in performances and results.

The upshot of their alarming decline is that Feyenoord have slipped 11 points behind defending champions PSV at the midpoint of the season, possibly ruling them out of a 17th league crown unless Peter Bosz’s team suffer a cataclysmic collapse.

With Ajax in third now closing in on his men, Van Persie’s team are looking over their shoulders instead of carrying optimism about returning to the top of the standings, demonstrating their incredible drop-off in results to conclude 2025.

Heerenveen Eredivisie form:

Heerenveen form (all competitions):

Feyenoord Eredivisie form:

Feyenoord form (all competitions):

Team News

Levi Smans remains absent with a knee injury that has kept him out since August, while Lasse Nordas, on loan from Luton Town, will be assessed before Sunday’s fixture.

Both Jacob Trenskow and Dylan Vente head into the weekend on six top-flight goals apiece, jointly contributing to 41.4% of Heerenveen’s 29 strikes to underline their importance.

While Trenskow has scored more goals on the road (four), Vente’s three at home and the same number away indicate that the forward can be dangerous in various situations.

Feyenoord have a plethora of absences through injury, suspension or international duty, with Shiloh ’t Zand (knee), Jakub Moder (back), Givairo Read (muscle), Gernot Trauner (Achilles), Thomas Beelen (leg), Bart Nieuwkoop (groin) and Malcolm Jeng (leg) sidelined.

Gaoussou Diarra, Anis Hadj Moussa and Oussama Targalline will play no part this weekend as they are with the Mali, Algeria and Morocco squads at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, while Luciano Valente is suspended for one round after his sending off for receiving two yellows against FC Twente in December.

Although Ayase Ueda had netted 18 league goals before the break, the forward had not scored in two Eredivisie outings — four in all competitions — and he aims to end his drought without finding the net.

Heerenveen possible starting lineup:

Klaverboer; Braude, Kersten, Willemsen, Zagaritis; Linday, Van Overeem; Trenskow, Brouwers, Meerveld; Vente

Feyenoord possible starting lineup:

Wellenreuther; Lotomba, Ahmedhodzic, Watanabe, Plug; Hwang, Kraaijeveld; Borges, Timber, Sauer; Ueda

We say: Heerenveen 3-1 Feyenoord

Heerenveen have not kept a clean sheet at home all season, and that pattern is likely to continue when Feyenoord visit on Sunday.  

However, the break is unlikely to have done Van Persie’s injury-hit side any favours, and the Rotterdam giants’ winless run should extend to five matches across all competitions after the weekend.

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