Preview: Heracles vs PSV Eindhoven - prediction, team news, lineups

Heracles Almelo will host league leaders PSV Eindhoven at the Asito Stadion on Saturday in an Eredivisie matchday 25 encounter.

The fixture brings together the bottom club and the champions-elect, with 45 points separating the two sides as they follow vastly contrasting paths at this stage of the season.

Match preview

Heracles face a demanding run-in to conclude the campaign, and their hopes of survival could receive a significant boost if they manage to claim a result against PSV, a side with no real danger of surrendering the title at this stage.

A heavy 4-0 loss to Go Ahead Eagles followed by a 1-0 defeat against struggling NAC Breda saw Ernest Faber’s men slump to the bottom of the table, leaving them five points adrift of safety ahead of this weekend’s encounter with the league leaders.

It is uncommon for the division’s most porous defence to avoid relegation, and Heracles’ return of 62 goals conceded, at least 12 more than PEC Zwolle’s 50, highlights a glaring weakness that has consistently undermined their campaign.

The Heraclieden have ended each of their last three top-flight seasons in the bottom five, meaning they are no strangers to a relegation battle, but their current situation appears increasingly bleak as the pressure mounts.

Having already lost six of their 12 home league fixtures, the Almelo outfit are in urgent need of improved results on their own turf, although facing a team they have defeated only twice in the past 64 years presents a formidable challenge.

© Imago

© Imago

PSV’s pursuit of an 18th consecutive away victory was halted by relegation-threatened Volendam in gameweek 23, but they responded positively with a 3-1 win over Heerenveen at home last weekend.

After suffering a defeat to Go Ahead Eagles in March 2025 on the way to sealing last season’s title, Peter Bosz’s side embarked on a remarkable run that produced six straight away wins to finish the campaign and a further 11 on their travels this term, helping them establish a commanding 14-point lead at the summit of the Eredivisie.

Volendam, however, disrupted that momentum in an entertaining clash at the Kras Stadion, where three second-half goals saw Dennis Man’s equaliser come in between strikes from Robin van Cruijsen and Aurelio Oehlers for the 14th-placed hosts.

Despite that setback, PSV have lost only twice in the league all season and still boast an outstanding away record of 11 wins from 12 matches, a statistic that will give them confidence heading into a meeting with a Heracles side that has managed just one home victory this term.

Further encouragement for the reigning champions lies in their dominance of this fixture, having won 41 of the previous 50 encounters, drawn seven and lost only twice, while also scoring in each of their last nine away league matches against Saturday’s opponents.

Heracles Eredivisie form:

Heracles form (all competitions):

PSV Eindhoven Eredivisie form:

PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):

Team News

© Iconsport

© Iconsport

Heracles remain without former Arsenal midfielder Jeff Reine-Adelaide as he continues his recovery from a long-term knee injury that has disrupted his debut season at the club.

Mario Engels, Fabian de Keijzer and Sem Scheperman are sidelined with muscle injuries, Alec van Hoorenbeeck is recovering from illness, and Sava-Arangel Cestic is dealing with a minor fitness concern.

PSV will be without Alassane Plea, Nick Olij, Ricardo Pepi and Ruben van Bommel due to knee, groin and fracture issues, while Guus Til is also nursing an unspecified injury sustained during the week.

Joey Veerman and Til have contributed five and four away goals respectively this season, underlining the attacking depth within the PSV squad, which also features the influential Ismael Saibari.

Heracles possible starting lineup:

Pasveer; Benita, Mesik, Te Wierik, Mirani, Van der Kust; Hrustic, Bozinovski, Unuvar; Kulenovic, Zeefuik

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Kovar; Dest, Schouten, Gasiorowski, Junior; Wanner, Veerman, Saibari; Perisic, Man, Boadu

We say: Heracles 0-4 PSV Eindhoven

On paper, this fixture appears set to favour PSV and could further deepen Heracles’ relegation concerns.

Having won the last eight meetings between the sides, Bosz’s team will be determined to avoid another away setback, and anything less than a convincing victory would come as a major surprise.

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