Preview: Heerenveen vs PEC Zwolle - prediction, team news, lineups

PEC Zwolle will be looking to complete a season double over Heerenveen when they travel to the Abe Lenstra Stadion this Sunday afternoon.

Both teams are in mixed form ahead of this weekend’s encounter, but both still have a realistic shot of making the top eight in the Eredivisie.

Match preview

It took almost two months, but Heerenveen finally bagged their first league win of 2026 after thumping the Go Ahead Eagles 3-1 away from home.

The result not only ended a four-match winless run in the Eredivisie but also put the club back in contention for a top-eight finish in the competition.

Robin Veldman’s men are just three points adrift of the Europa Conference League playoff spots, but more importantly Wednesday’s victory has restored some much-needed confidence.

Defensive concerns remain for Heerenveen, who have conceded 10 goals across their last three matches and have failed to keep a single clean sheet since December.

On top of that, De Superfriezen have not tasted a home league victory in almost four months, with the club boasting one of the worst home records in the competition.

PEC Zwolle enter this latest matchday sitting just two points behind their upcoming opponents, though a lack of consistency is becoming a serious issue for the club.

The Blauwvingers have failed to string successive league wins together since the first two rounds of the season, which has been a source of frustration for Henry van der Vegt’s side.

For instance, Zwolle boosted their top eight hopes with a 4-1 victory over SC Telstar a fortnight ago, but they followed that up with a hugely disappointing 2-1 home defeat against FC Volendam last weekend.

Away form is particularly concerning for Van der Vegt’s men, who have only managed one victory on the road in the Eredivisie this season - one of the worst away records in the competition.

On a positive note, Zwolle earned a 2-1 victory over Heerenveen last November, meaning they are now looking to secure a season double over the Super Frisians.

Heerenveen Eredivisie form:

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Heerenveen form (all competitions):

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PEC Zwolle Eredivisie form:

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PEC Zwolle form (all competitions):

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Team News

Heerenveen were without Dylan Vente for the match against Go Ahead Eagles, though the player could make his return on Sunday after participating in group training.

Luuk Brouwers started that game on the bench, and he will be pushing for a potential start this weekend.

Marcus Linday is also expected to feature on Sunday, despite picking up a slight knock in the previous game.

PEC Zwolle, meanwhile, are set to welcome back Zico Buurmeester, who missed the last few weeks with an ankle injury.

Nevertheless, the team remains without several key players for the weekend trip.

Jamiro Monteiro, Damian van der Haar, Samir Lagsir, and Jasper Schendelaar are all on the lengthy injury list.

Heerenveen possible starting lineup:

Klaverboer; Zagaritis, Willemsen, Kersten, Braude; Van Overeem, Hopland; Meerveld, Brouwers, Trenskow; Nordas

PEC Zwolle possible starting lineup:

De Graaff; Floranus, MacNulty, Graves, Gooijer; Pereira da Gama, Thomas, Oosting; Shoretire, Kostons, Namli