Our prediction for this Netherlands Eredivisie match:
Newly-promoted champions PSV will look to put icing on the cake on a very successful season when they face RKC Waalwijk on Matchday 34. PSV have regained the trophy in style, but they surely want to five fans yet another reason to celebrate this weekend. Pacey winger Johan Bakayoko is widely expected to return to the starting XI, while all Sergino Dest, Isaac Babadi, and Noa Lang remain on the sidelines with injuries.
RKC, on the other hand, are sitting just above the relegation zone, meaning that Sunday’s clash is of big importance for them. Anyhow, home win should be considered as Peter Bosz’s troops have turned their Philips Stadion into a real fortress. As for the visiting side, Jurien Gaari is back from suspension, while fellow defender Dario Van den Buijs is a major doubt after limping off with injury in a 1-1 draw with Zwolle at the weekend.
Highlighted Player (Luuk de Jong):
The 26-year-old Dutch striker Luuk de Jong is considered one of Europe’s deadliest strikers with his incredible return of goals in games he spends playing. Luuk de Jong began his football career at De Graafschap in 2008, but moved on to Twente only a year later.
The tally of 39 goals in 76 league appearances earned him a transfer to Borussia Monchengladbach, but his spell in Germany ended in disappointment. Bundesliga club attempted to revive his career by sending him out on loan to Newcastle United but his stint with the English club yielded even more disappointment and concluded in utter disaster with De Jong playing 12 games without scoring a single goal for the Magpies.
A return to Netherlands and PSV Eindhoven turned out to be a proper hit for the 26-year-old striker who has restored his scoring touch with more than 50 goals for the Boeren after less than 90 games.
Highlighted Team (Waalwijk):
RKC Waalwijk is a Dutch club that competes in the Eredivisie. RKC returned to the Dutch top flight in the 2019/20 season, and they were more than fortunate not to suffer relegation back to Eerste Divisie. Fred Grim’s men were stuck at the bottom of the table when the season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As a result, they did not drop to the Dutch second tier. RKC play home games at Mandemakers Stadion, the venue which can hold only 7,500 spectators. RKC Waalwijk are well known for their yellow shirts with blue strips, but their away kit is mainly black. The Mandemakers Stadion outfit have never won the national championship.
RKC, though, represented the Netherlands in European competitions in the past, with team taking part in Intertoto Cup on four occasions. Willem II are seen as one of the club’s main rivals, with the two teams facing each other in the Brabantse derby.