Preview: Ajax vs. Heerenveen

Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Eredivisie clash between Ajax and Heerenveen, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Dutch giants Ajax will get their Eredivisie campaign up and running when they face Heerenveen in Sunday’s clash at the Amsterdam Arena.

Ajax will hope to bounce back from a disappointing 2023-24 season, while the visitors will be looking to improve upon last term’s 11th-place finish.

Match preview
© Imago

Ajax will know the importance of beginning the new Eredivisie campaign with a positive run of form after kicking off last season with one win in their first eight league matches (D2, L5).

The record Eredivisie winners managed to salvage a fifth-place finish and Europa League qualification, but they ultimately fell considerably below their lofty high standards.

Francesco Farioli has been tasked with leading the rebuild at the Amsterdam Arena, and the former Nice boss has made an encouraging start to his tenure, overseeing a 4-1 aggregate win over Vojvodina in the second round of Europa League qualifying.

The Italian then saw his side record a narrow 1-0 win in the first leg of the third-round qualifying tie against Panathinaikos, with Steven Berghuis scoring the decisive goal in Thursday’s trip to Greece.

Ajax will now turn their attention to Sunday’s contest, and they will fancy their chances of claiming all three points after winning 13 of their previous 15 home league games against Heerenveen.

After recording back-to-back eighth-place finishes, Heerenveen would have been slightly disappointed to end the 2023-24 campaign in 11th position.

Heerenveen will be targeting improved fortunes this season as they head into the new campaign under the watch of former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin van Persie.

The 41-year-old has taken on his first senior coaching role after spending time as manager of Feyenoord’s Under-18 side as well as working with the first team under Arne Slot, who has since left De Kuip to take over the reins at Liverpool.

Van Persie has been presented with a tough test for his first competitive game as Heerenveen boss, especially as he only won to of his 11 matches against Ajax as a player (D5, L4).

However, the visitors will be able to take confidence from their most recent meeting with Ajax in February when they produced a free-scoring display to claim a stunning 3-2 home victory.

Ajax form (all competitions):

Heerenveen form (all competitions):

Team News
© Imago

Ajax are expected to be without the services of Christian Rasmussen, and Owen Wijndal, while Gaston Avila and Amourricho van Axel Dongen are both doubts for the league opener.

Steven Bergwijn sat out the first leg against Panathinaikos and will now miss Sunday’s clash through suspension, but the Netherlands international should return to the fold for the return leg against the Greek giants.

With one eye on Thursday’s European fixture, Farioli could be tempted to rotate his squad, with Branco van den Boomen, Mika Godts, Bertrand Traore and Brian Brobbey among those who may be given starting opportunities this weekend.

As for the visitors, they are expected to line up with Andries Noppert in goal, while Sam Kersten and Pawel Bochniewicz are set to operate as the two centre-backs.

Luuk Brouwers, who converted his loan spell into a permanent move, is likely to start in a midfield trio with Simon Olsson and Amara Conde.

Ion Nicolaescu scored five goals in 19 league appearances last term, and he is set to be given the responsibility of leading the line against Ajax.

Ajax possible starting lineup:
Pasveer; Rensch, Sutalo, Baas, Hato; Taylor, Henderson, Van den Boomen; Traore, Godts, Brobbey

Heerenveen possible starting lineup:
Noppert; Hall, Kersten, Bochniewicz, Kohlert; Conde, Olsson, Brouwers; Sebaoui, Al-Saed, Nicolaescu

We say: Ajax 2-0 Heerenveen
Van Persie will be keen to make a positive start in his first competitive game as a manager in professional football, but we think the ex-Man United man will see his team outclassed by an Ajax side who will be determined to begin their league campaign with a win following last season’s sluggish start.

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

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