Our prediction for this Netherlands Eredivisie match:
Buoyed by a thrilling 3-1 win over PSV, AZ Alkmaar will be aiming to give fans yet another reason for celebration when they host Den Haag at their AFAS Stadion. The Cheeseheads aim to move a little closer to the Champions League berth, and, no doubt, they are high on confidence ahead of the visit of Den Haag. Ruud Brood’s troops, on the other hand, aim to escape the relegation zone, but we do not believe that they are capable of claiming a major scalp on Matchday 17.
Den Haag suffered three defeats in the previous four league fixtures, and they are unlikely to spoil AZ’s party at AFAS Stadion. In their last meeting at the venue AZ Alkmaar crushed Den Haag 4-0, and we believe that the history is going to repeat itself. A man to watch in the home team will be Teun Koopmeiners, who scored a brace in the midweek victory.
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 (Den Haag):
Ado Den Haag is a professional Dutch club based in Hague, the seat of the Netherlands government. De Ooievaars (The Storks) welcome their rivals at Cars Jeans Stadion, which can hold up to 15,000 spectators. Founded back in February, 1905, Den Haag are well known for their yellow shirts with green stripes, while their away kit is mainly sky blue.
De Ooievaars were the dominant force in the Netherlands Football League Championship during the World War II, with the team winning two domestic trophies (1941/42, and 1942/43). Den Haag have two KNVB Cup titles as well as they won the Dutch Cup in both 1967/68 and 1974/75 seasons. Legendary Netherlands tactician Dick Advocaat played for Den Haag on two occasions.
He scored seven goals in 147 league appearances from 1966 to 1973, and he returned to the club in 1979. Ajax and Feyenoord are considered the club’s biggest rivals. The rivalry between the clubs has become big due to hooligan fights before and after matches.