Sparta Rotterdam
- Sparta Rotterdam will be in the opposite corner of the chess board to visitors Ajax on Sunday, but both teams have been scoring and conceding plenty of goals of late so the game is unlikely to be a bore.
- Sparta, who sit 12th in the Eredivisie 2026-2027 with nine points from nine matches, have had a mixed bag of results in the last five matches (W1, D2, L2).
-
The Kasteelheren are coming off a 3-3 away draw with Go Ahead Eagles and a 3-2 home win over Willem II.
- 3-3 away draw with Go Ahead Eagles
- 3-2 home win over Willem II
- However, the Rotterdam club have conceded 12 goals at home already this season, an Eredivisie-worst average of 2.40 goals per match.
- The club's best finisher is also its top scorer in the Eredivisie, netting four in seven, and he has scored four of Sparta's last nine in their last five games.
Ajax
- Rogier Meijer's men play a 4-2-3-1 formation that can change shape into a 3-1-5-1 depending on the opposition and their own personnel on the pitch.
- De Godenzonen, who are 4th in the table with 18 points from as many games, are a possession first side, although they have shown that they can still play at a fast pace as they are often the side with the ball.
- Ajax, who are unbeaten in four away games in this division this season, play a 4-3-3, but with such strong movement off the ball and high pressing, it is more of a 4-1-3-2 or 4-3-3-0, as they try to suffocate the opposition by controlling possession and movement.
- The visitors have Julian Brandt as their sharpest finisher, also on four Eredivisie goals in seven matches, but he is more of a midfield player that can dart forward to punish teams with his lethal passing.
Head-to-Head
This should be an interesting game in terms of the contrast in styles, but Ajax's away record is superior to Sparta's home one and, with a better position in the standings, it is hard to see past the visitors edging this.
Key Players
- So it is clear where Sparta must go for their goals, which is to Milan Zonneveld.
- The club's best finisher is also its top scorer in the Eredivisie, netting four in seven, and he has scored four of Sparta's last nine in their last five games.
- The visitors have Julian Brandt as their sharpest finisher, also on four Eredivisie goals in seven matches, but he is more of a midfield player that can dart forward to punish teams with his lethal passing.
Betting Insights
Therefore, Over 2.5 goals at 1.33 and Both Teams to Score - Yes at 1.42 are my selections, although the away win is the main play here at 1.44 , with the hosts priced at 5.75 and the draw at 4.9 .
Prediction
- This should be an interesting game in terms of the contrast in styles, but Ajax's away record is superior to Sparta's home one and, with a better position in the standings, it is hard to see past the visitors edging this.
- Go for a 2-1 away win as the main forecast, with both teams expected to get on the scoresheet given recent form and defensive records.
