Groningen vs Ajax – News and Probable Lineups

The team currently experiencing the worst form in the Eredivisie over the past six matches will aim to turn their fortunes around on Saturday as struggling Groningen welcomes Ajax to the Euroborg Stadium.

Although the hosts are not in immediate jeopardy due to the difficulties faced by the teams beneath them, the visitors are under increasing pressure to seize this moment and bolster their chances of securing a UEFA Champions League spot for the upcoming season.

Match overview

With six consecutive defeats in the Eredivisie, Groningen is firmly in relegation form, and they now hold the record for the most consecutive losses this season, surpassing even bottom-placed Heracles Almelo, who have faced a four-match losing run this campaign.

Last weekend, Dick Lukkien’s squad faced another painful defeat, conceding a last-minute goal against Volendam, even though Thom van Bergen seemed to have earned them a point with an equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time to level the score at 2-2.

The Pride of the North last celebrated a win on January 16, overcoming Heerenveen with a score of 2-0, but since then, they have been unable to secure even a single point, suffering losses to Fortuna Sittard, Sparta Rotterdam, PSV Eindhoven, FC Utrecht, FC Twente, and Volendam.

A significant concern during this losing streak has been their failure to defend leads, having lost six of those matches after initially going ahead, highlighting the team’s defensive vulnerabilities.

Despite their ongoing struggles, Groningen remains in 11th place with 31 points, thanks to solid early-season performances and favorable outcomes against lower-ranked teams, sitting nine points above the relegation playoff zone. However, a trio of home defeats puts them in jeopardy of yet another loss against an Ajax side pursuing European qualification.

Ajax continues to frustrate their supporters by failing to take advantage of opportunities to distance themselves from fourth-placed NEC Nijmegen, who have also recently stumbled after a promising start to the season.

A scoreless draw at PEC Zwolle last weekend extended Ajax’s unbeaten streak to five matches; however, Fred Grim’s team has managed to win only one of those encounters, which ended a remarkable 15-match scoring streak in the Eredivisie and marked their first 0-0 result in the league since September 2023.

Entering Sunday’s midday fixture, Ajax knew that a victory would place them three points ahead of NEC, who had fallen 3-2 to Fortuna the night before, yet they could not capitalize on this opportunity.

Ajax is currently in third place in the 2025-26 standings with 44 points from 25 matches, just one point ahead of NEC, keeping the competition for European spots tight while also allowing Twente, AZ Alkmaar, and Sparta to remain contenders for a UEFA Champions League berth.

This match presents an excellent opportunity for the Sons of God to regain their winning form, as they have not lost to Groningen in their last eight encounters, achieving seven victories and one draw since March 2021. Overall, they maintain a dominant head-to-head record against them with 90 wins, 23 draws, and 17 defeats.

Team News

Groningen’s captain Stije Resink suffered a cruciate ligament injury during Sunday’s match against Volendam, and he has announced via Instagram that he will undergo surgery, sidelining him for the remainder of the season.

Lukkien’s team will also be without Tika de Jonge, who is still recovering from an unspecified injury, although Mats Seuntjens made a return to action last weekend as a substitute against Volendam.

On the other hand, Ajax is missing goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a serious knee injury, while former Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko has also been ruled out for the entire season following a significant injury during his first home appearance for the club.

However, the pair of Youri Regeer and Kasper Dolberg have overcome recent injury worries and were available last weekend, positioning them for selection ahead of Saturday’s match.

Groningen probable starting XI:

Vaessen; Mercera, Blokzijl, Janse, Prins; Land, Resink, Van der Werff, Schreuders; Taha, Van Bergen

Ajax probable starting XI:

Paes; Rosa, Sutalo, Baas, Wijndal; Gloukh, Klaassen, Regeer; Bounida, Godts, Dolberg

Groningen is currently experiencing a dire period with six consecutive losses, and this downturn may persist against an opponent they have struggled to defeat in their last eight encounters.

On the flip side, Ajax is keen to return to winning form and create some distance from the teams behind them, and there may be no better opportunity than against a faltering Groningen side, which is why we anticipate the Amsterdam club will claim all three points on Saturday.