Preview: Heracles vs. FC Volendam - prediction, team news, lineups

Heracles could lose their three-year Eredivisie status this weekend if they lose to FC Volendam at Asito Stadion and results elsewhere go against them.

The Almelo hosts are nine points from safety with four games remaining, leaving SCH with it all to do heading into Sunday’s gameweek 31 encounter against relegation-threatened visitors.

Match preview

It seems a matter of when, not if, Heracles will be relegated to the second tier, with the Eredivisie’s bottom side six points behind second-bottom NAC Breda and nine adrift of SBV Excelsior in the playoff spot on 28 points, level with Volendam (28).

Ernest Faber’s December appointment has done little to change what many already feared heading into 2026, especially after 10-goal Jizz Hornkamp departed for AZ Alkmaar at the turn of the year.

HAFC have claimed just one Eredivisie win since then — a 2-1 success over Fortuna Sittard in February — highlighting the dire situation in Almelo, where fans have not celebrated a win in over two months.

Two points from a possible 24 since their last victory does little to inspire confidence in any late-season turnaround, pointing to a side on its way down to the second tier.

Not helped by the concession of 77 goals, 11 more than 13th-placed PEC Zwolle (66) and significantly more than the teams around them — Volendam have let in 50, while both Excelsior and NAC have conceded 51 — few will expect any change for the Eerste Divisie-bound hosts.

Unlike their hosts, whose relegation is only a matter of time, Volendam have their future in their own hands going into the final four gameweeks.

Rick Kruys’s troops are just three points clear of NAC in second-bottom but level with Excelsior in the playoff spot, underlining how precarious their position is.

Bottom of the form table over the past five gameweeks, during which they have earned just one point, Het Nieuwe Oranje are helped by the teams around them not faring much better: NAC have notched three points, while Excelsior and Heracles have two apiece.

Further emphasising their alarming loss of form is that results have fallen off a cliff since winning three of four league games between February 7 and March 1; however, four of the next five have ended in defeat.

This season’s outlook appears more worrisome given their below-par away form: one win from 15 on the road, with a paltry eight goals scored and 31 conceded.

Currently on a four-match losing run on the road, you would forgive the travelling fans for expecting more disappointment away from home, as they have seen their side fail to score in three of four matches during the ongoing run.

Nevertheless, optimistic Volendam fans will point to their team’s 22-year unbeaten run in this fixture as a reason to feel hopeful about avoiding defeat and extending their nine-match streak at Heracles’ expense.

Heracles Eredivisie form:

FC Volendam Eredivisie form:

Team News

Heracles have a few players sidelined for Sunday, with Fabian de Keijzer, Jan Zamburek, Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Mike te Wierik and Ajdin Hrustic all absent through injury, while left-back Ivan Mesik will undergo assessment after sustaining an injury in April 11’s 3-0 loss to Ajax.

Luka Kulenovic ended last year in fine form but has scored once since the turn of the year, leaving him on five Eredivisie goals heading into this weekend.

A 14th league start is not guaranteed for the forward, though, with Faber likely to play Lequincio Zeefuik from the off in gameweek 31.

While Volendam centre-back Nick Verschuren returns from suspension against Heracles, the visitors are without Bilal Ould-Chikh and Dave Kwakman for this weekend’s match.

Kruys’s team have typically shared the goals this season, with no player scoring more than Brandley Kuwas and Robert Muhren’s five; Robin van Cruijsen, Aurelio Oehlers and Henk Veerman have netted four each.

Heracles possible starting lineup:

Pasveer; Wieckhoff, Mirani, Van Hoorenbeeck, Van der Kust; Bruns, Scheperman; Van Gilst, Engels, Unuvar; Zeefuik

FC Volendam possible starting lineup:

Van Oevelen; Ugwu, Amevor, Verschuren, Leliendal; Van Cruijsen, Yah; Oehlers, Descotte, Ideho; Kuwas

We say: Heracles 1-1 FC Volendam

Heracles have been leaking far too many goals, but Volendam’s away record is hardly strong enough to suggest they will fully capitalise on those defensive issues.

That combination points towards a closely fought contest in which both sides score, but neither does enough to claim all three points.

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