Our prediction for this Netherlands Eredivisie match:
After shocking PSV at Philips Stadium before the World Cup break, AZ Alkmaar will look to give fans yet another reason for celebration when they kick off 2023 with a match against Vitesse. AZ Alkmaar have a chance to climb to the Champions League berth, and we are positive that they will adopt an attack-minded approach in Saturday’s clash.
Zinho Vanheusden remains on the sidelines with a broken foot, while this game comes too early for fellow defender Bruno Martins Indi. The Vitas, on the other hand, failed to win the previous three league fixtures, and given their ups and downs on the road, we predict that AZ are going to pick up all three points from the match. Forward Bartosz Bialek is a major doubt for the visitors, who are on a four-game losing run at AFAS Stadion in all competitions.
Highlighted Player (Bruno Martins Indi):
Bruno Martins Indi was born in Portugal, but his family quickly moved to Rotterdam, where he joined Feyenoord’s youth set-up in 2005. Netherlands international has made his professional debut in 2010 with Feyenoord, where he spent four years as mainstay before a move to FC Porto on the back of impressive display at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Bruno Martins Indi spent most of his career playing as centre-back, but he can equally fill in on various positions in defence. Bruno Martins Indi had been deemed a victim to the extreme recolution in Porto’s central defensive department, having fallen out of favour with Nuno Espirito Santo and even being punished with a place in Porto’s reserves.
During the summer transfer window the 24-year-old defender insisted on a move away from the club with Premier League being his preferred destination. On the final day of the transfer marked Bruno Martins Indi has been set to Stoke City on a season long loan.
Highlighted Team (Vitesse):
Nicknamed Vitas, the proud of Gelderland, Vitesse are a Dutch football club based in Arnhem. Vitesse compete in the Dutch Eredivisie and they have yet to win the national championship. However, they finished as runners-up in the Dutch elite division on five occasions (1897–98, 1902–03, 1912–13, 1913–14, 1914–15), while clinching third place in the standings in the 1997/1998 season.
Vitesse did remarkably well to win the 2016/2017 Dutch Cup title, with the team beating AZ Alkmaar in the final at De Kuip in Rotterdam. As a result, the Vitas booked their place in the Europa League group stages where they face the likes of Lazio, Nice and Zulte-Waregem.
Vitesse are well known for their yellow jerseys with black stripes, while the club’s away colour is black. GelreDome is the home ground of the Dutch team and the capacity of the venue is 21.248. It has to be noted that famous Spanish footballer Albert Ferrer was in charge of the club in the 2010/2011 season.