Nijmegen vs Utrecht – News and Probable Lineups

NEC Nijmegen, who are vying for a Champions League spot, will face FC Utrecht at the Goffertstadion on Wednesday in an Eredivisie clash, as the hosts continue their impressive league campaign this season.

The fixture was originally set for early last month but had to be postponed due to adverse weather conditions, leading to a matchup between two teams in differing form.

Match overview

NEC achieved their sixth consecutive victory with a solid 4-1 win against Heracles Almelo on Saturday, an eventful game that marked 37-year-old Tjaronn Chery as the oldest goalscorer in Eredivisie history, creating a memorable occasion for the Nijmegen side.

It was an extra reason for celebration as veteran striker Bryan Linssen made history by becoming the first player to score ten or more goals for six different Eredivisie clubs, achieving this with VVV-Venlo, Heracles Almelo, FC Groningen, Vitesse, and Feyenoord.

The Eniesee approach Wednesday’s match knowing that just a single point could propel them into second place in the Eredivisie table, ahead of Feyenoord and into a direct Champions League qualifying position, which fuels great motivation for Dick Schreuder’s squad.

Schreuder’s players are currently enjoying an extraordinary 13-match winning streak across all competitions, with their only defeat since November being against Utrecht in their previous encounter, where a 41st-minute strike from Miguel Rodríguez resulted in a narrow 1-0 setback at Stadion Galgenwaard.

NEC has the second-best attacking statistics in the Eredivisie this season, netting 56 goals in 21 matches, trailing only the dominant PSV Eindhoven, and that offensive strength has formed the basis of their consistent run, which has seen them unbeaten in 10 league matches and 13 in total across all competitions, winning 11 of those encounters while currently on a six-match winning streak.

All of NEC’s last eleven matches have featured goals from both sides and included a minimum of three goals, highlighting their aggressive playing style.

The two teams have faced each other 85 times in the past, with NEC winning 27 matches, drawing 20, and losing 38. Utrecht managed a narrow 1-0 win in the earlier encounter this season, while the hosts have achieved only two victories in their last twelve clashes.

FC Utrecht, winless since mid-December, will visit Nijmegen hoping their past successes at Goffertstadion can help them break their eight-match winless streak, particularly since seven of those matches concluded in defeat for Ron Jans’s struggling team.

The Domstedelingen are having a tough season, failing to secure a win in their last nine league outings, the most recent being a narrow 1-0 loss to Feyenoord at home.

Utrecht has managed only one victory in their last 15 games across all competitions, resulting in their fall to 13th in the Eredivisie table, placing them just seven points above the relegation zone and facing a significant threat of being dragged into a relegation struggle unless results change soon.

January was particularly difficult for Jans’s squad as they did not win any of their five matches to start 2026, extending their losing streak to six games if the final match of 2025 is also considered. However, February brought a glimmer of hope with a gritty draw against Heerenveen.

This draw marked Utrecht’s first point in over a month, with their last victory occurring on December 17 against TOP Oss, where they won 2-0 in the second round of the KNVB Beker.

Team News

NEC welcomed back defender Bram Nuytinck on Saturday, as the center-back returned to play following a significant 10-month recovery from a severe cruciate ligament injury.

Schreuder still has 19-year-old goalkeeper Freek Entius unavailable despite the young player recently extending his contract until the summer of 2027.

Utrecht will miss Spanish striker Rodriguez, who is banned following two yellow cards and a red card received against Feyenoord.

The visitors are also grappling with a lengthy injury list, which includes Souffian El Karouani, Zidane Iqbal, Sebastien Haller, Siebe Horemans, David Min, Victor Jensen, and Mike Eerdhuijzen.

NEC probable starting XI:

Gonzalo; Dasa, Sandler, Kaplan; Pereira; Healthy, Proper, Onal; Chery, Linssen, Lebreton

FC Utrecht probable starting XI:

Barkas; Vesterlund, Didden, Van der Hoorn, El Karouani; Bozdogan, Engwanda, Zechiel; Karlsson, Alarcon, De Wit

NEC are clear favorites heading into Wednesday’s match due to their home ground advantage and impressive recent form, although they will need to overcome a psychological hurdle against a team that has posed challenges in recent encounters.

Utrecht enters the game low on confidence and seem ill-prepared to face a high-flying side targeting European football, leading us to anticipate a solid home victory.