Preview: Heerenveen vs NEC - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to pick up their first win of the campaign at the sixth attempt, Heerenveen host NEC Nijmegen at Abe Lenstra Stadion on Sunday afternoon in the Eredivisie. 

De Superfriezen suffered a narrow defeat on the road against a Dutch giant last time out, whilst NEC’s dip in form continued on home turf against PSV Eindhoven.

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Match preview

After consistent mid-table finishes for the past decade in the Eredivisie, Heerenveen have commenced the 2025-26 season in worrying fashion, with results suggesting that they could be in line for a relegation scrap at the foot of the standings.

De Superfriezen’s winless run at the beginning of the term extended to five matches last weekend, when they lost out by a 1-0 scoreline at the base of title contenders Feyenoord, who were the first team to stop Sunday’s hosts from finding the net this campaign.

Following the collection of just two points from their opening five top-flight contests, Heerenveen are sitting precariously in the Eredivisie rankings in 17th, joining Heracles and Volendam as one of only three sides who are yet to enjoy victory in the division as September rolls on.

With last season’s leading marksman Ion Nicolaescu leaving to join Europa League-competing Maccabi Tel Aviv over the summer, there is now major emphasis on Jacob Trenskow to fire in the goals for De Superfriezen, with the 24-year-old Dane already bagging two strikes across five league appearances in 2025-26.

Despite their struggles at the beginning of this campaign, Heerenveen remain a formidable force at Abe Lenstra Stadion, where they have lost just once in 20 Eredivisie contests dating back to the start of the 2024-25 term. 

Finishing seventh in the second tier of Dutch football back in 2021, NEC Nijmegen have enjoyed a marvellous rise towards the top of the Eredivisie over the past few years, with Sunday’s visitors hoping to go one step further this year and secure a European berth.

Eniesee started the term in barnstorming fashion - winning each of their first three matches by an aggregate scoreline of 12-1 - before losing back-to-back games recently, meaning that they have fallen off the pace slightly at the top of the standings.

There was no shame in NEC’s most recent defeat, though, with the Nijmegen-based club playing out an eight-goal thriller with Dutch champions PSV at Goffertstadion, where the visitors ran out 5-3 victors.

Dick Schreuder’s team are arguably greater than the sum of their individual parts, as suggested by the fact that 11 different players have chipped in with goals in the Eredivisie so far this season, with three-goal striker Bryan Linssen leading the Golden Boot race marginally. 

A bad omen for NEC ahead of a daunting trip to Abe Lenstra Stadion this weekend, each of the last three meetings between the two sides have resulted in victory for the home side, including a 1-0 success for Heerenveen in this exact fixture earlier this calendar year.

Heerenveen Eredivisie form:

D L L D L

NEC Eredivisie form:

W W W L L

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Team News

Heerenveen are without the services of Hristiyan Petrov, who received a red card in the second half of the defeat to Feyenoord last time out. 

De Superfrizen’s first-team options are reduced further by the absence of defender Levi Smans, with the 22-year-old recovering from a knee injury. 

There could be more rearguard options in the hosts’ medical room should Sam Kersten be deemed unfit after being forced off last weekend. 

NEC Nijmegen are unable to call upon the talents of Bram Nuytinck after the veteran sustained an injury at the back end of last season.

Scoring and missing a penalty last time out versus PSV, Tjaronn Chery will be hoping to be amongst the goalscoring action once again on Sunday.

Heerenveen possible starting lineup:

Klaverboer; Braude, Willemsen, Hopland, Zagaritis; Trenskow, Brouwers, Van Overeem, Rivera; Vente, Meerveld

NEC possible starting lineup:

Crettaz; Pereira, Kaplan, Fonville; Quaissa, Proper, Sano, Misidjan; Chery, Linssen; El Kachati

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We say: Heerenveen 2-1 NEC

After a rocky start to the campaign, Heerenveen will be targeting this home match as a great opportunity to secure maximum points for the first time.

NEC’s form has dipped in recent weeks, and we feel that they could be heading towards another defeat this weekend.

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

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