AZ vs Ajax – News and Probable Lineups

Ajax will be looking for a different result on Sunday as they visit AFAS Stadion less than a month after suffering a heavy 6-0 defeat to AZ Alkmaar in the KNVB Beker.

However, the Amsterdam club has not won at this venue since March 2022, and they are aiming to end a 10-match winless streak against their opponents.

Match overview

Maarten Martens was unaware that overseeing the significant 6-0 defeat of Ajax in the domestic cup would lead to his dismissal from his position at AZ.

Just a week after extending their unbeaten run against Ajax to 10 matches, Martens was let go, following a 3-1 loss to PEC Zwolle that marked AZ’s sixth defeat in the Eredivisie.

They faced another setback recently, suffering a 3-1 defeat at home to the high-scoring NEC, which added to their inconsistent results under interim coach Lee-Roy Echteld, who will likely stay through the end of the season.

AZ bounced back from their league defeat last weekend by securing a narrow 2-1 victory over FC Twente in the cup, advancing to the semi-finals and aiming for their first KNVB Beker trophy since 2013.

Before that, they must navigate a difficult stretch that has seen them achieve only two victories in their last 10 league matches, with six losses during that period.

Despite their recent struggles, Ajax’s defeat to them in mid-January represents Ajax’s seventh loss to the Alkmaar side in their last 10 encounters, with a draw in March 2025 suggesting that their fans can remain hopeful for a positive result despite the pre-match form.

Fred Grim, despite overseeing an unbeaten streak of eight consecutive matches in the Eredivisie, should not expect an easy contest from the Cheese Farmers, having recently experienced a tough loss following a run of seven without defeat across all competitions.

Ajax will return to a stadium where they have not secured a win since March 2022, striving to break this barren sequence.

Since their cup victory nearly four years ago, Ajax has been unable to triumph over the Cheese Farmers in six visits, a statistic they are keen to alter this Sunday.

After their cup exit against Ajax, Grim’s side has gone unbeaten in three league matches, though they have drawn twice, underscoring Ajax’s ongoing defensive problems and lack of clean sheets.

In four of their last five Eredivisie games, Ajax has conceded two goals, with draws against NEC, Go Ahead Eagles, and SBV Excelsior while narrowly defeating Telstar 3-2 last month.

These draws may explain why the fourth-placed team hasn’t climbed higher, as they have struggled with eight total stalemates, preventing them from surpassing current second-placed Feyenoord, who have also stumbled in recent months.

With Ajax only one point behind the Rotterdam side, they could finish the weekend in either second or third place in what is becoming a competitive race for the two coveted spots just below PSV Eindhoven.

Team News

AZ will be monitoring Kees Smit and Mexx Meerdink’s fitness, while the trio of Jordy Clasie, Sven Mijnans, and Denso Kasius are anticipated to be sidelined.

Rome Jayden Owusu-Oduro made a remarkable seven saves in the 2-1 cup win against Twente, and Troy Parrott was pivotal, scoring and assisting to keep his fine form going.

In his last four appearances, Parrott has contributed to five goals (three scored, two assisted), and he hopes to extend this successful streak against Ajax.

Besides Ko Itakura, the traveling squad is in good shape as they prepare to face AZ, which should boost their confidence as they aim to avoid another disappointing result in Alkmaar.

Three of Mika Godts’s 10 Eredivisie goals have been match-winners, trailing only behind five decisive strikes from Sparta Rotterdam’s Tobias Lauritsen and Ayase Ueda, along with PSV’s Guus Til (four), as the forward aims to be impactful again on Sunday.

AZ Alkmaar probable starting XI:
Owusu-Oduro; Maikuma, Goes, Penetra, De Wit; Koopmeiners, Boogaard; Sadiq, Sin, Jensen; Parrott

Ajax probable starting XI:
Jaros; Gaaei, Sutalo, Baas, Mokio; Klaassen, Reeer, Sturgeon; Boundia, Dolberg, Godts

The mental imprint of that 6-0 loss may continue to linger for the visitors as they return to a venue where they have not enjoyed winning in nearly four years.

AZ appears to have the advantage over Ajax regardless of the coaching situation and could find it easier to exploit a defense that has conceded two goals in four of their last five league matches.