Sittard vs Nijmegen prediction: NETHERLANDS: Eredivisie betting tips on match 2023-05-27 12:30.
Fortuna Sittard and NEC Nijmegen also met in the final round of last season, but in a much less familiar context. Not only was the match played in Nijmegen, but both teams had very different things at stake. NEC still had a minor chance of making the European football playoffs heading into the last round, whilst Fortuna had to do everything possible to avoid relegation. Now with both sides in comfortable mid-table positions, they can see the season out in a relaxed manner.
Fortuna starts this round in 13th place and would finish the season tied on points with opponents NEC if they won here. With nine losses from their last 12 games, it doesn’t appear likely for the Limburgers. Scoring goals has especially proven to be a difficult task in recent weeks, partially due to the absence of outcast Burak Yılmaz. The 37-year-old Turkish veteran has not been involved in Sittard’s last five games, and it is no coincidence they failed to score in three of them.
NEC have also been going through a difficult phase. Rogier Meijer’s side was once known as one of the least penetrable defences in the league, but that has definitely not been the case in recent weeks. The Nijmegen side have conceded at least three goals in four of their last five outings, for a total of just four goals in return. Across their last ten Eredivisie games, NEC conceded precisely the same number of goals in total as in the prior 23 league games!
They bid farewell to a large number of players last week and will have to prepare for a very busy transfer period this summer. The volatile defending of the last three weeks suggests a lot of players are already looking towards next season, and it would not surprise to see Meijer make many adjustments this weekend. Dirk Proper and Lasse Schöne are both suspended, whilst Mattijs Branderhorst will likely be rewarded with a start in goal.
Players to watch: Fortuna’s Rodrigo Guth, who played for NEC last season, has racked up the most clears (six) and blocks (1.9) per game this Eredivisie season. Jordy Bruijn may get an opportunity to take him on, having scored four goals and one assist from ten hours for NEC this season.
Hot stat: In fifteen of the last eighteen H2Hs, both teams scored on the day.