Preview: Sparta Rotterdam vs Heerenveen - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to record back-to-back top flight wins, Sparta Rotterdam welcome Heerenveen to Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel for an Eredivisie clash on Sunday afternoon.

De Kasteelheren picked up a much-needed home success last time out, whilst De Superfriezen's slide towards danger continued against the league leaders.

Match preview

After missing out on a spot in the Conference League playoffs by just four points last season, Sparta Rotterdam are on a mission to qualify for European football this time around, with a recent triumph restoring hope in the team's lofty ambitions.

De Kasteelheren ended a four-game winless run in the Eredivisie with a backs-to-the-wall victory over NAC Breda on home soil last Sunday, when goalkeeper Joel Drommel made eight excellent saves to keep his first clean sheet in over a month.

With Shunsuke Mito's first goal of the league campaign enough to secure maximum points for Sparta last time out, they moved up to ninth spot in the Eredivisie rankings at the 15-game mark, one point behind FC Twente in eighth.

Winning just three of their eight matches at Sparta-Stadion this term, only second-tier bound Telstar (1) have managed fewer successes across home matches, with Maurice Steijn's side struggling to regularly satisfy their home faithful.

Taking charge of his 40th match in the dugout of De Kasteelheren last weekend, 52-year-old Steijn will be hoping for some attacking magic from Tobias Laturisen on Sunday, when the towering Norwegian is hoping to net his eighth Eredivisie goal of 2025-26.

Over the past fortnight, Heerenveen's top-flight status has been thrown into doubt after consecutive defeats for the first time since the middle of August, with Sunday's visitors now looking nervously over their shoulder in the Eredivisie.

That being said, De Superfriezen were given a tough task last Saturday afternoon when current pacesetters PSV Eindhoven arrived at Abe Lenstra Stadion, with full internationals Joey Veerman and Ricardo Pepi scoring in a 2-0 win for Peter Bosz's troops.

Fighting to avoid three straight top-flight defeats for the first time since September 2023, Heerenveen are currently occupying 12th position in the Eredivisie rankings, just three points above Heracles in the relegation-playoff spot.

Across top flight and KNVB cup action, De Superfriezen have won just two of their eight away matches, with those triumphs coming at second-tier VVV Venlo and Eredivisie whipping boys Telstar in October.

Further cause for concern in the camp of Heerenveen ahead of this weekend's match, each of the last three Eredivisie matches between the sides have fallen in the favour of the home outfit, with De Superfriezen last winning at Sparta-Stadion back in November 2020.

Sparta Rotterdam Eredivisie form: W L L D L W

Sparta Rotterdam form (all competitions): W L L D L W

Heerenveen Eredivisie form: D D L W D D

Heerenveen form (all competitions): W D L W L L

Team News

Sparta Rotterdam are expected to be without the services of Sayfallah Ltaief, who has not featured since the beginning of November due to an injury.

After keeping a rare clean sheet last time out, De Kasteelheren should stick with a centre-back pairing Marvin Young and Teo Quintero ahead of heroic shot-stopper Drommel.

Forced off just before the hour mark against NAC Breda, Ayoni Santos is a doubt to play a part on Sunday afternoon.

Managing just a single Eredivisie appearance this season, Heerenveen midfielder Levi Smans is recovering from a knee problem.

Coming on at half time against PSV last weekend, Ringo Meerveld and Eser Gurbuz are targeting promotions to the starting XI.

Sparta Rotterdam possible starting lineup:

Drommel; Sambo, Young, Quintero, Kleijn; Kitolano, Clement, Baas; Oufkir, Mito, Lauritsen

Heerenveen possible starting lineup:

Klaverboer; Bruade, Kersten, Willemsen, Zagaritis; Meerveld, Van Overeem, Trenskow, Brouwers, Gurbuz; Vente

We say: Sparta Rotterdam 1-0 Heerenveen

After a solid win over NAC Breda last time out, Sparta Rotterdam should be confident of repeating the trick against a Heerenveen side who struggle on the road.

De Superfrizen need a statement away result to propel them up the standings, however we feel that they will suffer a narrow defeat in Rotterdam.

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