Excelsior Rotterdam (home)
- NEC Nijmegen are third in the Eredivisie 2025/2026 table on 50 points from 28 games, whereas Excelsior Rotterdam are 16th with 27 points.
- Excelsior Rotterdam are an exciting team that have not won any of their last 5 Eredivisie 2025/2026 fixtures (D1, L4) because their pressing can be porous and they are not solid enough at the back.
- Excelsior are in poor form with four defeats, one draw and no wins in their last five Eredivisie 2025/2026 games and while they did manage a 1-1 draw at Heracles in their most recent road trip, they lost 2-1 away at Feyenoord the week before.
NEC Nijmegen (away)
- NEC Nijmegen are rightfully favourites to win against Excelsior Rotterdam at odds of 1.97 for Saturday’s Eredivisie 2025/2026 matchup as they are in much better form, have dominated the head-to-head record in recent seasons and arrive with a superior system in place.
- However, the hosts will provide a stern test and can get on the scoresheet in what should be an exciting, high-scoring game.
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The visitors are on a roll with three wins, one draw and only one defeat in their last five Eredivisie 2025/2026 matchups.
- 3 wins
- 1 draw
- 1 defeat
- Dick Schreuder has done a brilliant job at NEC this season, implementing his patient, possession-based, back-three system and making a real case for this side as a top-three team in the long run.
Head-to-Head
NEC Nijmegen have won three of the last four head-to-head matchups, including a 5-0 win at home seven months ago in Eredivisie 2025/2026.
Key Players
- In Kodai Sano, they have a dynamic playmaker who has created four goals in their last five Eredivisie matches, with NEC scoring 12 goals during that run.
- Excelsior have the superior firepower going forward in this matchup with Noah Naujoks leading the line with eight goals in 25 Eredivisie 2025/2026 appearances and two in his last four.
Betting Insights
- Both Teams to Score - Yes is the clear choice for this game at 1.42, although Over 2.5 goals at 1.48 is also favoured.
- Naujoks is a decent anytime scorer pick to get a goal against a side that has conceded 25 in 14 Eredivisie 2025/2026 away games, but Bryan Linssen is the top choice for an NEC goal here with ten in 26 Eredivisie 2025/2026 games.
- Excelsior Rotterdam are scoring an average of 1.00 goals per game at home in Eredivisie 2025/2026 and are conceding 1.36, which supports backing NEC to get the win.
Prediction
- NEC will be expected to control this matchup, but Excelsior can get a goal with home advantage.
- NEC can take all three points, although they are never quite invincible on their travels (W6, D5, L3).
