FC Twente vs NEC - prediction, team news, lineups

A pivotal clash successful the contention for Champions League qualification volition spot FC Twente big NEC Nijmegen astatine De Grolsch Veste connected Saturday, with conscionable a azygous constituent separating the 2 sides successful the table.

The hosts presently beryllium 4th connected 53 points, portion the visitors from Nijmegen inhabit 3rd spot with 54, making this brushwood a nonstop conflict with important implications for the run-in.

Match preview

On the backmost of 3 consecutive victories, FC Twente are thriving astatine the concern extremity of the season, having been fantabulous successful the league with conscionable 1 decision since October 2025.

After securing a pivotal 2-1 triumph implicit Ajax astatine the Johan Cruyff Arena to extremity a six-year hold for a triumph against De Joden and overtake the Dutch giants successful the table, John van den Brom’s broadside further strengthened their propulsion for a instrumentality to European shot with different 2-1 triumph implicit Volendam past weekend.

The Tukkers presently beryllium 4th successful the Eredivisie standings, 2 points down second-placed Feyenoord and 1 constituent adrift of third-placed NEC Nijmegen.

While the Pride of the East person recorded 3 successive 2-1 victories against Fortuna Sittard, Ajax and Volendam, their broader form, winning six of their past 7 matches and losing conscionable erstwhile successful the league this calendar twelvemonth places the Reds successful a beardown presumption arsenic they purpose to unafraid a Champions League qualification spot with a beardown decorativeness to the season.

At home, FC Twente person suffered 3 defeats this season, with the astir caller coming 3 weeks agone erstwhile FC Utrecht claimed a 2-0 victory successful Enschede.

Saturday presents an accidental for the hosts to ascent into 3rd place, and Van den Brom volition beryllium alert that a triumph akin to their caller triumph implicit Ajax would spot them leapfrog NEC into a Champions League qualification position.

A dense 5-1 decision to AZ Alkmaar successful the KNVB Beker last past play proved a harsh result for what has different been a precise awesome play for NEC, portion besides bringing an extremity to their six-game unbeaten run.

AZ took the pb aft 32 minutes erstwhile left-back Mees de Wit finished from adjacent scope pursuing a mazy tally to the byline by Ro-Zangelo Daal, earlier further goals aft the interruption from Sven Mijnans successful the 67th infinitesimal and Peer Koopmeiners six minutes aboriginal enactment the crippled firmly retired of reach.

NEC responded successful the 78th infinitesimal done Japanese striker Koki Ogawa, but Kees Smit restored AZ’s three-goal cushion by chipping goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen to marque it 4-1.

There was inactive clip for a 5th goal, arsenic Ireland planetary Troy Parrott struck 5 minutes into stoppage clip with a close-range effort that took a important deflection.

Despite the decision successful Rotterdam, Dick Schreuder’s broadside stay connected the verge of a historical accomplishment and indispensable present refocus connected the Eredivisie, wherever qualification for adjacent season’s UEFA Champions League remains wrong reach.

FC Twente Eredivisie form:

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NEC Eredivisie form:

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NEC signifier (all competitions):

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Team News

Mees Hilgers remains FC Twente’s lone wounded absentee, arsenic the defender continues to retrieve from a semipermanent genu contented that has ruled him retired for the full season.

Forward Daan Rots missed the triumph implicit Volendam done suspension aft accumulating yellowish cards, but helium is expected to instrumentality to the squad this weekend.

For NEC, Ahmetcan Kaplan is acceptable to miss the travel done suspension, portion the remainder of the squad is available, leaving the Nijmegen broadside with a cleanable measure of wellness for this important fixture.

Schreuder’s squad person impressed with their fluid question and vertical passing, scoring 72 league goals this season, with Bryan Linssen contributing 10 goals and 8 assists, Tjaronn Chery linking midfield and onslaught effectively, and runners from wide and heavy positions consistently posing a menace successful transition.

FC Twente imaginable starting lineup:

Unnerstall; Van Rooij, Lemkin, Nijstad, M. Rots; Hlynsson, Zerrouki, Van den Belt; D. Rots, Lammers, Orjasaeter

NEC imaginable starting lineup:

Crettaz; Dasa, Sandler, Nuytinck; Ouaissa, Sano, Nejasmic, Onal; Chery, Lebreton; Linssen

We say: FC Twente 2-2 NEC

Both teams get successful beardown form, with Twente having won 4 of their past 5 matches and establishing themselves arsenic 1 of the astir accordant sides successful the division, portion NEC stay unbeaten successful their past 5 league games and proceed to impressment with their attacking output.

Recent meetings betwixt the sides person often been intimately contested, including a 3-3 gully earlier this season, but they person besides produced plentifulness of goals, and with some teams susceptible of exploiting unfastened play, different entertaining brushwood is expected connected Saturday, apt ending with the points shared.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.