Preview: NAC Breda vs Heerenveen - prediction, team news, lineups

NAC Breda will host SC Heerenveen at the Rat Verlegh Stadion on Sunday knowing they still have a mathematical chance of avoiding relegation and preserving their Eredivisie status.

Although the hosts appear increasingly likely to return to the second division, a home fixture this weekend offers them another opportunity to keep their survival hopes alive, while Heerenveen arrive desperate to secure a long-awaited return to European football for the first time in more than a decade.

Match preview

NAC Breda head into Sunday’s clash sitting inside the relegation zone, and with only two matches remaining, their relegation will be confirmed if they fail to secure all three points against Heerenveen.

The hosts currently sit six points behind both Volendam and Telstar, who each have 31 points, with Volendam occupying the relegation playoff spot, meaning Breda must start winning immediately while hoping one of those sides loses their final two fixtures.

As ambitious as survival may still appear mathematically, it would require a remarkable turnaround from Carl Hoefkens’s side, who are without a victory in their last eight matches and have managed only two wins from their previous 10 league games, both of which came consecutively in February.

Four defeats in their last six matches have left NAC firmly trapped in the relegation battle, and the club now appear increasingly likely to return to the Eerste Divisie alongside Heracles Almelo next season.

Parel van het Zuiden have also struggled badly at home this campaign, winning only four matches at the Rat Verlegh Stadion while recording five draws and seven defeats, and facing a Heerenveen side still chasing European qualification could further deepen their problems.

© Imago

Heerenveen would likely have welcomed the fixture list handed to them in recent weeks, facing two teams currently inside the relegation zone, and although matches against struggling sides are rarely straightforward, De Superfriezen secured an important victory over Volendam last time out.

The visitors now have another major opportunity to strengthen their European ambitions when they travel to face 17th-placed NAC Breda before concluding the season at home against Ajax.

Only one defeat in their last eight league matches highlights the impressive work Robin Veldman has done since the turn of the year, with the campaign still carrying the potential to become a historic one for the club.

Heerenveen are attempting to end a 16-year absence from continental football, and consecutive fixtures against relegation-threatened opposition offer them a significant chance to climb into sixth place, especially with AZ Alkmaar dropping points following their draw against Twente and facing a difficult trip to Feyenoord this weekend.

No side has collected more points than Heerenveen’s 13 across the last six Eredivisie rounds, while only champions PSV Eindhoven have scored more than their 13 goals during that same period.

The club have already reached the 50-point mark for the first time since the 2014-15 season, and Sunday’s encounter presents another opportunity to improve that tally and edge closer to a long-awaited European return.

NAC Breda Eredivisie form:

Heerenveen Eredivisie form:

Team News

© Iconsport / ANP

NAC Breda have no fresh injury concerns ahead of this weekend’s match, although Leo Greiml remains sidelined, with his continued absence further weakening a defence that has already struggled for consistency throughout the season.

The hosts have also been dealt a major blow by the suspension of leading scorer Mohamed Nassoh, one of the team’s few reliable attacking threats this campaign, leaving much of the creative responsibility to experienced figures Lewis Holtby and Andre Ayew.

Heerenveen, meanwhile, will travel without five first-team players as Maxence Rivera, Nikolai Hopland, Levi Smans, Andries Noppert and Amourricho van Axel Dongen remain unavailable because of injury problems.

However, Rivera’s recovery is progressing positively and he could still feature during the final match of the season, while the visitors must also cope without suspended midfielder Joris van Overeem, whose nine assists underline his importance in progression and chance creation.

NAC Breda possible starting lineup:

Bielica; Kemper, Mahmutovic, Leemans, Odoi; Sowah, Balard, Paula, Valerius; Ayew, Holtby

Heerenveen possible starting lineup:

Klaverboer; Braude, Kersten, Willemsen, Zagaritis; Linday, Brouwers, Trenskow, Meerveld, Oyen; Vente

We say: NAC Breda 1-2 Heerenveen

Pressure continues to intensify on NAC Breda, whose attacking struggles have become increasingly concerning after scoring only twice in their last five matches and failing to find the net in each of their previous two outings.

Heerenveen arrive in Breda carrying momentum and attacking confidence after scoring 13 goals across their last six league fixtures, and their pursuit of European qualification could prove decisive despite the home advantage traditionally giving NAC some encouragement.

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