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

Aiming to reach the quarter-finals of the KNVB Beker for the first time since the 2016-17 season, FC Volendam travel to Sparta Rotterdam for Thursday's contest in the round of 16.

Volendam are, however, winless against Sparta in three meetings, recently losing in December, and must snap that losing streak at Sparta Stadion to advance to the next round.

Match preview

Having claimed two wins to end 2025, Sparta began the new year with another positive result, defeating struggling Heracles 2-0 to extend their winning run to three.

While the Rotterdam hosts were beneficiaries of FCH losing top scorer Jizz Hornkamp to AZ Alkmaar, Maurice Steijn’s team can only play what is in front of them, and they duly dispatched their Almelo visitors.

They head into Thursday’s game at Het Kasteel after having kept consecutive clean sheets in competitive matches for the first time since October, when the Castle Lords secured Eredivisie wins over Groningen (2-0) and Telstar (1-0), and Steijn’s side aim for a third at Volendam’s expense.

With De Kasteelheren having recent history on their side in this fixture, considering a run of three consecutive wins by an aggregate score of 6-1, the Rotterdam-based side will back themselves to notch another victory in this fixture.

Another success over Volendam will take Sparta into the last eight of the domestic cup for the first time since 2016-17, when they advanced to the semis before falling to Vitesse.

Having not gone beyond the second round in the subsequent eight campaigns, this season has brought some cup cheer for the hosts, who now aim to make the most of their commendable run in the KNVB Beker.

Like their hosts, Volendam are enjoying an encouraging cup run this season following four years of early exits.

Not since the 2020-21 season have the Other Oranje made it this far in the competition, and they look to secure a different outcome this time after losing to PSV Eindhoven at the time.

If they are successful, then Rick Kruys’s team will celebrate being the Volendam iteration to reach the last eight of the KNVB Beker since the 2016-17 season, when their commendable run was ended by this week’s opponent on penalties.

While they have the motivation to make it to the last eight, their recent form and the history in this fixture are not in their favour.

Apart from Volendam’s extra time victory over amateur side Genemuiden in the previous round, Palingboeren have not secured a 90-minute victory since November’s 2-1 success over NAC Breda.

They have failed to score in four of seven matches since and needed an extra 30 minutes to advance to this stage, highlighting their goalscoring challenges.

Starting the year with a 1-0 loss at AZ Alkmaar continued their dismal away run since regaining promotion, and they travel to another Eredivisie side on Thursday, aiming to win only their second match on their travels after October’s 2-1 cup triumph over Quick Boys.

Sparta Rotterdam KNVB Beker form:

Sparta Rotterdam form (all competitions):

FC Volendam KNVB Beker form:

FC Volendam form (all competitions):

Team News

Although Sparta do not have a plethora of injuries, the hosts will assess Vito van Crooij before Thursday, after the attacking midfielder’s withdrawal in the 28th minute of last weekend’s victory over Heracles.

While Tobias Lauritsen did not start in the previous round’s 5-1 win over Willem II, the nine-goal Eredivisie forward should lead the attack for the hosts.

One player who started and starred in the above victory was Shunsuke Mito, who scored two and assisted one, and the Japanese winger should play from the start in the round of 16, aiming to add to his three goal contributions.

Although Anthony Descotte is ruled out, the visitors will evaluate Gibson Yah ahead of Thursday’s trip, with the midfielder going off with a seeming injury against AZ last time out.

Henk Veerman was also withdrawn in that loss, which arguably is the bigger miss for the Other Oranje as he has scored more (four goals) than anyone else in the Eredivisie this term.

That places an extra burden on Aurelio Oehlers to come up trumps for Volendam, considering that he has scored two of Palingboeren’s four goals in their run to the round of 16.

Sparta Rotterdam possible starting lineup:

Drommel; Sambo, Young, Quintero, Kleijn; Baas, Kitolano; Van Bergen, Duijvestijn, Mito; Lauritsen

FC Volendam possible starting lineup:

Van Oevelen; Ugwu, Amevor, Verschuren, Leliendal; Bukala, Mbuyamba, Kuwas; Oehlers, Muhren, Kokcu

We say: Sparta Rotterdam 2-0 FC Volendam

Sparta are in commendable form, and their defence has kept consecutive clean sheets heading into this cup tie.

Given Volendam’s recent struggles in front of goal and their losing run in this fixture, the hosts should secure a straightforward victory to reach the quarter-finals.

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