Preview: NAC Breda vs. Ajax - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to leave the Eredivisie relegation zone this weekend, NAC Breda must end a two-month wait for a win when they host Ajax at Rat Verlegh Stadion in Saturday’s 31st-round clash.

Parel van het Zuiden have lost three and drawn as many heading into this weekend, but they hope to be seventh-time lucky against the Amsterdam giants, whom they have lost to in seven of the last 10 meetings.

Match preview

When NAC secured back-to-back 1-0 wins over Heracles and FC Volendam in February, one would have forgiven fans of the club for thinking a turnaround in fortunes was imminent.

The Breda-based side had ended a three-month wait for success by recording those victories, only for aspirations of a fillip to prove a seeming pipe dream.

Since those wins, Carl Hoefkens’s team have managed only three more points from a possible 18, picking up a creditable 3-3 draw against Feyenoord, as well as notching points against Sparta Rotterdam (0-0) and Fortuna Sittard (1-1).

While the second-bottom side’s heavy defeats to Telstar (3-0) and Go Ahead Eagles (6-0) have stood out, conceding nine in those games and then failing to score in 50% of their ongoing winless run points to issues at both ends of the pitch.

Nonetheless, NAC’s situation is far from fatal heading into Saturday’s fixture, with Parel van het Zuiden only three points shy of the relegation play-off spot and three adrift of escaping danger altogether, with four games remaining.

Even though the home team ostensibly have it in their hands to survive, their two-year stay in the big time may be contingent on securing significant wins in their final four matches to end a two-month run without success.

Ajax will have other ideas, considering they are fighting for a coveted European spot in the final weeks of the 2025-26 season.

Oscar Garcia’s men are not exactly pulling up trees, as evidenced by winning just two of their last five league games, with De Joden slipping to fifth place, which guarantees only a play-off for a continental berth.

Finishing as high as second, however, remains a possibility, with the Amsterdam giants four points behind second-placed Feyenoord, who, together with champions PSV Eindhoven, are assured of direct progress to the league phase of next season’s Champions League.

Finishing third sends the team in that spot into the third qualifying round of Europe’s premier club competition, while a fourth-place finish would also grant possible involvement in the Europa League, all of which underlines the benefits of ending above their current standing in fifth.

With third-placed NEC (54 points) and FC Twente (53) playing this weekend, Ajax (51) could take advantage if either or both teams drop points in round 31.

However, that outcome will require the Amsterdam giants to win consecutive Eredivisie games for the first time since December 2025, ending an extended wait for back-to-back wins in the competition.

NAC Breda Eredivisie form:

Ajax Eredivisie form:

Team News

While Leo Greiml’s shoulder issue appears to be no longer a concern, Lewis Holtby’s condition will be assessed ahead of this weekend, with the experienced attacking midfielder being NAC’s only gameweek-31 doubt.

Although Boy Kemper remains a dual threat from left-back, having scored three times and assisted as many, the home side’s leading source of goals remains Mohamed Nassoh, whose fifth league goal of the season secured NAC’s 92nd-minute equaliser at Fortuna.

While Takehiro Tomiyasu is suspended after his sending-off against Heracles, Davy Klaassen (knee), Joeri Heerkens (ankle), Oleksandr Zinchenko (knee), Kian Fitz-Jim (shoulder) and Vitezslav Jaros (knee) are sidelined through injury.

Mika Godts should be available for Ajax a fortnight after he was forced off with an apparent injury in the 87th minute against bottom-side Heracles.

Scoring in that fixture took the Belgian to 15 goals for the season, eight more than Wout Weghorst on seven, while he has also provided 10 assists to demonstrate his importance to De Joden’s attack.

NAC Breda possible starting lineup:

Bielica; Odoi, Greiml, Leemans, Kemper; Jensen, Sowah; Talvitie, Nassoh, Paula; Ayew

Ajax possible starting lineup:

Paes; Gaaei, Sutalo, Baas, Rosa; Gloukh, Itakura, Mokio; Berghuis, Weghorst, Godts

We say: NAC Breda 1-2 Ajax

With both teams having plenty to play for, this fixture could be more competitive than the table suggests, especially if NAC draw energy from the home crowd.

Even so, Ajax may still find the key moments and emerge with a narrow win, thereby securing consecutive league victories for the first time in 2026.

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