Already bound for the European playoffs, AZ Alkmaar welcome relegated Almere City to AFAS Stadion on Sunday afternoon, aiming to round off their Eredivisie campaign with a fourth consecutive victory.
The hosts sit fifth on the table with 56 points from 16 wins, eight draws and nine defeats, while the Black Sheep prop up the standings with just 21 points to their name.
Match preview
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Despite showing signs of life in recent weeks, AZ will ultimately settle for a European playoff spot after falling seven points short of fourth-placed FC Utrecht, a gap made unbridgeable by a prolonged slump through March and early April.
That spell saw the Cheese Farmers endure eight games without victory across all competitions, including a painful Europa League quarter-final exit at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur and a KNVB Beker final loss to Go Ahead Eagles, with their league form equally erratic during that run, drawing four and losing twice.
A 3-1 reverse in London confirmed De Kaasboeren's elimination from Europe by a 3-2 aggregate scoreline, while a penalty shootout defeat in the domestic cup showpiece dashed hopes of sealing continental qualification through that route.
However, AZ have rediscovered their edge in front of goal, netting thrice in each of their last three Eredivisie outings, beginning with a measure of revenge in a 3-0 triumph over Go Ahead, before brushing aside Groningen by the same scoreline and edging a five-goal thriller against Twente last weekend.
That upturn leaves Maarten Martens's men poised to string together four straight victories in the top flight for just the second time this season, having previously achieved a five-game winning run between November 24 and December 21.
With their confidence rekindled and home fans behind them, AZ will fancy their chances of dispatching an Almere team they edged 1-0 in the reverse fixture, especially given their record of eight wins in 16 league matches at the AFAS this season.
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The visitors, on the other hand, have endured a torrid time on the road, losing 10 of their 16 Eredivisie encounters at opposition grounds and amassing only 10 points in the process, ranking among the bottom five travelling records in the division.
Almere's 2024-25 campaign has been one to forget, punctuated by long winless stretches and only brief respites, with their four league victories scattered across months of struggle and inconsistency.
Their current run without success now extends to six games (D3, L3), following last weekend's 1-1 draw at home to Fortuna Sittard, where Junior Kadile's early strike offered a glimmer of hope that was extinguished in the 79th minute.
Goals have been especially hard to come by for Almere, who have drawn a blank in 18 of their 33 Eredivisie games so far — a staggering statistic that highlights their toothlessness in the final third, a problem head coach Jeroen Rijsdijk must address as his team prepare to bow out of the division, else they risk ending the season with a whimper.
Team News
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Four players are unavailable for AZ ahead of their final Eredivisie outing, with Jayden Addai, Troy Parrott, Jordy Clasie and Kristijan Belic all ruled out through injury.
Parrott's absence is a bitter pill to swallow for the Cheese Farmers, with the former Tottenham man having been one of their standout performers this season, leading the line with 14 goals and sitting third on the league's scoring chart, so Mexx Meerdink has a sizeable task on his hands as he once again steps in up front.
Ibrahim Sadiq and Zico Buurmeester are both staking a strong claim for starting spots after their eye-catching cameos in last weekend's win away at Twente.
Almere, meanwhile, will be without the injured trio of Alex Carbonell, Jochem Ritmeester van de Kamp and Hamdi Akujobi for Sunday's visit.
In terms of end product, Nordin Kadile, Charles-Andreas Brym and Kornelius Hansen have been the leading contributors in front of goal for the Black Sheeps this season, with five, three and two strikes, respectively.
AZ Alkmaar possible starting lineup:
Owusu-Oduro; Wolfe, Dekker, Goes, Maikuma; Smit, Koopmeiners; Bommel, Mijnans, Poku; Meerdink
Almere City possible starting lineup:
Bakker; Zagaritis, Lawrence, Jacobs, Martins; Tahiri, Haye; Jasim, Robinet, Kadile; Brym
We say: AZ Alkmaar 3-0 Almere City
AZ are overwhelming favourites going into this contest, and given their late resurgence and Almere's defensive frailties — having conceded the second most goals in the division with 61 — it would be no surprise to see a commanding win for the home side.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
