Willem IIvs.Groningen

Both these sides are uncomfortably close to the drop, currently locked level on 24 points apiece, just four points above Sparta Rotterdam in the sole relegation playoff spot.

Match preview

After ending 2024 very positively with back-to-back wins over PEC Zwolle and NEC, Willem II are yet to taste victory in the New Year, having lost three and drawn two of their five matches since the turn of the calendar.

However, during their winless run, the newly promoted outfit did pull off two major upsets, holding Feyenoord to a 1-1 draw in mid-January and doing likewise to PSV Eindhoven last weekend.

While those results did not do much to improve their own league position, it did have a significant impact on the defending champions, with the dropped points last week causing them to give up the lead in the league standings to Ajax.

Still, taking a point away from Philips Stadion is something only four teams - AZ Alkmaar, Heerenveen, Feyenoord and Sparta Rotterdam - have managed to do in the last three years, and the result would have been a major boost of confidence for Peter Maes and his side.

The hosts will now need to build on that performance and try to secure a home win, though those have been rare this season, with the side only managing one victory in their last eight games at Koning Willem II Stadion.

Meanwhile, Groningen managed to open up some much-needed daylight between themselves and the bottom three last week when they put on a resilient performance to beat NEC 2-1 at home.

That result extended Trots van het Noorden's positive start to the New Year, as they have now taken eight points from their six games in 2025 after managing just seven in their preceding 11 matches up to the end of last year.

A major contributor to Dick Lukkien's side's improvement of late has been their defence, which has only conceded seven goals in their last nine games, while maintaining four clean sheets during that period.

However, the visitors away record this season has been woeful, as they are winless in their last 10 matches on the road dating back to matchday two, with eight of those games ending in defeat.

Willem II Eredivisie form:

W

L

D

L

L

D

Groningen Eredivisie form:

D

L

W

D

L

W

Team News

Willem II have just one long-term absentee at present in the form of Dani Mathieu, who sustained a serious knee injury at the start of the season that ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign.

Amine Lachkar picked up a groin injury in the final match of 2024 against NEC and has not returned since, which should see Boris Lambert and Jesse Bosch continue in the engine room for the foreseeable future.

Groningen are expected to be missing at least four players for this trip to Tilburg, with Fofin Turay and Marvin Peersman both currently on the treatment table owing to an Achilles and foot injury respectively.

Midfield duo Brynjolfur Andersen Willumsson and Sven Bouland are also sidelined at present with unspecified injuries, and the pair are only slated to return to training by the start of next month.

Willem II possible starting lineup:

Didillon-Hodl; Tirpan, Behounek, Schouten, St. Jago; Lambert, Bosch; Fatah, Meerveld, Sandra; Vaesen

Groningen possible starting lineup:

Vaessen; Rente, Ekdal, Stam, Prins; Resink, De Jonge; Valente, Kwakman, Seuntjens; Van Bergen

We say: Willem II 2-1 Groningen

While Groningen managed to claim an important win last week, they have been very poor on the road this season, winless in their last 10 matches on the road, while only managing five points in 11 outings to date.

Willem II, on the other hand, will enter this match with confidence after taking a point off PSV on the road last week, and we feel they will be able to build on that result with a victory at home this weekend.

Written by

Devesh Jaganath

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