Heerenveen vs Fortuna Sittard - prediction, team news, lineups

Fresh from seeing their five-game unbeaten streak travel to an end, Heerenveen volition look to bounce backmost connected Saturday evening erstwhile they invited Fortuna Sittard to the Abe Lenstra Stadion.

Sitting eighth successful the standings, Heerenveen beryllium conscionable 2 points supra Groningen and Sparta Rotterdam, meaning a decision this play could spot them driblet retired of the European contention. Meanwhile, a nonaccomplishment for Fortuna Sittard would each but extremity their already faint hopes of continental qualification.

Match preview

Heerenveen's 4-1 demolition of Heracles astatine the commencement of April was arguably their champion show of the campaign, and they would person fancied their chances against an AZ Alkmaar broadside distracted by their Conference League quarter-final 2nd limb and the KNVB Beker final.

A quickfire first-half treble from Sven Mijnans and Troy Parrott's onslaught 19 minutes from clip handed Robin Veldman's men their archetypal loss since a 3-1 decision to champions PSV Eindhoven connected February 21.

Three consecutive matches against sides presently successful the bottommost 7 connection De Superfriezen the cleanable accidental to regain momentum earlier finishing their run against Ajax.

Heerenveen are winless successful their past 4 meetings with Fortuna, including a 2-0 decision earlier this play successful which Mattijs Branderhorst delivered a standout goalkeeping performance.

However, Saturday's hosts person won each of their past 4 location matches by a combined scoreline of 13-4 and volition beryllium assured of different awesome show successful beforehand of their fans.

Fortuna person struggled for consistency this term, but back-to-back wins implicit SBV Excelsior and NEC astatine the extremity of February offered anticipation for a beardown decorativeness to the campaign.

However, Danny Buijs's broadside began March with a dense 4-1 decision to relegation-threatened Telstar—their joint-worst nonaccomplishment of the 2025-26 season—setting the code for a tally of conscionable 1 triumph successful 5 crossed each competitions.

A 1-1 gully with NAC Breda past clip out ended the Fortunezen's two-game losing streak up of their travel to Friesland, wherever they person not won successful 4 attempts since January 2021 (D1, L3).

Sittard statesman this weekend's fixtures 8 points down eighth-placed Heerenveen with 4 games to play, leaving them successful the past accidental saloon to support their European ambitions alive.

Only Heracles and PEC Zwolle person conceded much goals successful the Dutch apical formation than Saturday’s visitors (55), and a antiaircraft portion that has present gone 19 games without a cleanable expanse hardly inspires confidence.

Heerenveen Eredivisie form:

Fortuna Sittard Eredivisie form:

Team News

Backup goalkeeper Andries Noppert is retired of contention with a backmost contented that has kept him retired of some of Heerenveen's astir caller outings.

Since putting connected a stellar show successful August's curtain-raiser, Levi Smans (knee) has not featured for the hosts, portion Amourricho van Axel-Dongen remains retired with a thigh problem.

Maas Willemsen was forced disconnected with an wounded 10 minutes from the extremity of his side's decision to AZ, making the 22-year-old a uncertainty for Saturday's fixture.

Sittard inactive person a mini situation betwixt the sticks, with Ramazan Bayram (knee), Mattijs Branderhorst (muscle) and Nick Marsman each ruled out.

Daley Sinkgraven, Ivo Pinto, Edouard Michut and Justin Lonwijk are besides unavailable for selection, but Justin Hubner is acceptable again aft returning to enactment past clip out.

Alen Halilovic volition miss retired against his erstwhile club, arsenic the Croatian continues to endure an injury-hit campaign.

Heerenveen imaginable starting lineup:

Klaverboer; Zagaritis, Petrov, Kersten, Braude; Van Overeem, Linday; Rivera, Meerveld, Trenskow; Nordas

Fortuna Sittard imaginable starting lineup:

Koopmans; Dahlhaus, Hubner, Adewoye, Kasanwirjo; Van Ottele, Brittijn; Limnios, Duijvestijn, Peterson; Sierhuis

We say: Heerenveen 3-1 Fortuna Sittard

Fortuna's antiaircraft struggles should play into Heerenveen's hands, arsenic they person been prolific astatine home, averaging implicit 2 goals per league crippled this season.

We afloat fancy the hosts to cruise to an emphatic triumph erstwhile each is said and done here.

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