This weekend's Eredivisie action will draw to a close with a crucial matchup at the bottom end of the table, with Sparta Rotterdam playing host to RKC Waalwijk on Sunday evening.
The hosts currently occupy the sole relegation playoff spot with 13 points, while the visitors are at the bottom of the league standings with just seven points after 18 games.
Match preview
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Given how tightly compact the bottom end of the table is this season, three points in this match could prove telling when the relegation scrap is decided at the end of the season.
For Sparta Rotterdam, a victory against the basement club this weekend could see them move out of the bottom three but that would require them finding their first victory in the top flight in over three months.
Indeed, De Kasteelheren have experienced a dramatic fall from grace over the first half of the campaign after finishing in the top eight in each of the last two seasons, currently winless in their last 12 league matches.
In the midst of that dismal run, the club opted to part ways with Jeroen Rijsdijk at the start of November, but it has been a very difficult start to life for his successor Maurice Steijn, who has yet to win a match for his new employers, eight games into his tenure.
A victory this weekend for the hosts will not just be a huge relief for the new manager but for the entire club as well, as they have lost each of their last four at Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel and have yet to win a game on home turf this season.
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Sparta could not have chosen a better opponent to face in trying to bring an end to their winless home run, as RKC Waalwijk have not won a match since the start of November, and that was the only victory they have managed in 2024-25 Eredivisie to date.
Henk Fraser's side were handed their 13th defeat of the season last weekend by high-flying Ajax 2-1 on the road, which took their goals-against tally to 43 in 18 games - the most of any team in the division.
The visitors have been particularly poor on the road this term, losing seven and drawing two of their nine away games, while they have conceded two or more goals in all but one of those matches.
Recent history suggests that RKC will struggle to turn their poor away form around in this match, though, as they have failed to beat this opponent in any of their last six attempts, including a 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture in September on their home patch.
Team News
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Sparta Rotterdam will have to make do without the services of Marvin Young this weekend, with the defender forced to serve a one-match ban after being sent off in the dying moments against Heracles.
Said Bakari was hauled off in the first half last week with what appeared to be a muscle injury, and he will likely be replaced in the starting lineup by Justin Hoogma if he is not cleared fit this weekend.
After forcing his way into the first team following seven consecutive defeats at the start of the season, Yannick Van Osch managed only three appearances before sustaining an injury that has seen him miss the last 10 matches across all competitions.
The shot-stopper is not expected to return in the foreseeable future and will be joined on the sidelines this week by fellow injury absentees Nouri El Harmazi, Dario Van Den Buijs, Daouda Weidmann and Juan Familia-Castillo.
Sparta Rotterdam possible starting lineup:
Olij; Hoogma, Eerdhuijzen, Reith, Van Aanholt; Clement, Kitolano; Mito, Verschueren, Neghli; Lauritsen
RKC Waalwijk possible starting lineup:
Kesting; Al Mazyani, Van Gelderen, Wouters, Meijers; Roemeratoe, Oukili; Van der Water, Ihattaren, Margaret; Kramer
We say: Sparta Rotterdam 2-1 RKC Waalwijk
Sparta Rotterdam were desperately unlucky not to have come away from Almelo with all three points last week after a late red card led to them conceding in stoppage time.
Now back on their home patch and set to face an opponent they have not lost to in their last six encounters, we feel the hosts will be able to make amends for last week's disappointment by edging the visitors in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
