Sabasports Match Preview
Eredivisie: AZ Alkmaar vs FC Groningen
Kickoff Time: 2025-08-10 20:30 (HKT)
Source: REUTERS/Andrew Boyers
AZ Alkmaar is a traditional Eredivisie powerhouse. Last season, they finished in fifth place. This season, they have European competition to deal with. In midweek, the team won 3-0 at home against Swiss side FC Vaduz, already securing a spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage. In that match, Irish striker Troy Parrott scored twice, showing excellent form. So far this season, Parrott has netted five goals and provided one assist in the Europa Conference League qualifiers, ranking third on the top scorer list. During the summer transfer window, the club successfully retained their midfield core, Sven Mijnans, who plays a key role in organizing attacks, linking play, and controlling the tempo of the game. In the past three qualifying matches, Mijnans has assisted in every game, also in top form.
This is FC Groningen’s second season in the Eredivisie. Last season, they finished in 13th place. Although their performance was 13 points above the relegation zone, they showed a strong home record but a weak away record. The team has an 82% unbeaten rate at home, but that drops to just 29% on the road. During the summer transfer window, the team suffered major losses, especially in midfield. For instance, Luciano Valente, who contributed two goals and seven assists last season, joined Feyenoord. This move brought the club 6.75 million euros, but they only spent 1.28 million euros on new signings, without finding a replacement for Valente. Additionally, Leandro Bacuna, who played 31 games and provided four goals and three assists, and Thijs Oosting, who played 22 games as a backup midfielder, also left. In short, Groningen’s midfield is undergoing a major rebuild, which could affect their attacking and defensive flow, and their counter-attacking ability may suffer.
Historically, Eredivisie giants pay close attention to their first league home game. According to statistics, in the past eight seasons, AZ Alkmaar has won seven and drawn one of their first home league games, achieving an impressive 87.5% win rate. As a second-year Eredivisie team, they often face setbacks due to limited investment, key players leaving, and their tactics being exposed. Facing an AZ Alkmaar side in full form, it seems inevitable that Groningen will suffer a defeat.
AZ Alkmaar‘s Last 5 Games: WDWLL
25-08-08 AZ Alkmaar 3-0 FC Vaduz
25-08-03 AZ Alkmaar 3-2 OFI Crete
25-08-01 AZ Alkmaar 5-0 Ilves
25-07-26 AZ Alkmaar 0-2 Olympiacos
25-07-25 Ilves 4-3 AZ Alkmaar
FC Groningen‘s Last 5 Games: WWLWW
25-08-02 FC Groningen 3-1 Wrexham
25-07-27 FC Groningen 3-1 Beerschot
25-07-19 FC Groningen 1-2 NEC Nijmegen
25-07-12 FC Groningen 2-0 FC Emmen
25-07-09 FC Groningen 2-0 FCV Dender EH
Head-To-Head Record
25-05-11 AZ Alkmaar 3-0 FC Groningen
24-12-19 AZ Alkmaar 3-1 FC Groningen
24-08-25 FC Groningen 0-0 AZ Alkmaar
23-03-12 AZ Alkmaar 1-0 FC Groningen
22-10-02 FC Groningen 1-4 AZ Alkmaar
Prediction: AZ Alkmaar to win