Our prediction for this Netherlands Eredivisie match:
AZ
Match Time & Date:
21/10/2023
21:00
Prediction: 3-1
Heerenveen
AZ Alkmaar will be looking to overtake PSV in top position in the standings when they take on Heerenveen in the Eredivisie round 9. AZ have been producing excellent displays in the first half of the season and, as a result, the reputable bookies see them as hot favourites to win Saturday’s clash. A man to keep an eye on in the home team will be Greece forward Vangelis Pavlidis, who represented his homeland in the EURO 2024 qualifiers at the weekend, while both Mees de Wit and Mexx Meerdink are major doubts.
Heerenveen, meanwhile, do not seem to be at their sharpest, with the team collecting only one point in total from the last five games. As AZ Alkmaar are a real force to be reckoned with at home, we do not believe that the visitors are capable of grabbing something from the match. Hussein Ali is sidelined with injury, while both Che Nunnely and Timo Zaal are major doubts.
Highlighted Player (Riechedly Bazoer):
Despite playing for PSV during his youth career, Riechedly Bazoer made his Eredivisie debut with Ajax. The central midfielder who was born on 12 October, 1996 in Utrecht, scored his first goal for Ajax on 15 February, 2015 in a 4-2 victory over Twente.
Four days later he made his European debut with the Amsterdammers, taking part in a 1-0 win over Legia in the Europa League. Bazoer scored five goals in 29 league appearances for Ajax in the 2015/2016 season, but he failed to win the domestic trophy with Frank de Boer’s troops.
Speaking of his international career, Bazoer has two caps for Netherlands U21 team and he made his debut for the first team on 13 November, 2015 against Wales. It has to be noted that he came as a late substitute in the 3-2 victory over the Dragons. Back in 2012 the right-footed midfielder won the UEFA U17 European Championship with the Dutch national team.
Highlighted Team (Heerenveen):
Heerenveen is a Dutch football club that is well known for their white shirts with blue stripes. De Superfriezen (The Super Frisians) play home matches at Abe Lenstra Stadium, which has the capacity of 26,400 people.
Heerenveen have yet to win the Eredivisie title, but they impressed in the 1999/00 season, with the team finishing the process in second position in the standings. Thanks to a top-two finish, the club booked their place in the Champions League. Heerenveen, though, recorded only one in the group stages of the elite competition as they defeated Olympiakos 1-0 at home ground. De Superfizien retain a fierce rivals with Cambuur, and there have always been fireworks in clashes between the two teams.
It has to be noted that Heerenveen won the Dutch Cup in the 2008/09 season, with the team beating Twente on penalties in the title game. New Chelsea signing Hakim Ziyech played for Heerenveen at the start of his senior career.
Man City 
Everton
Bournemouth
Crystal Palace 
Chelsea 
Fulham
Newcastle 
Aston Villa 
Nottingham Forest 
Tottenham
Southampton 
West Ham 
