Eredivisie week 31

Friday:
Heracles v Breda
Saturday:
NEC v Roda
De Graafschap v Groningen
Feyenoord v Twente
AZ v Vitesse
Sunday:
Utrecht v Heerenveen
Willem II v Den Haag
Volendam v Sparta
PSV v Ajax

No surprises where all attention lies in the Netherlands this week - it's Alkmaar on Saturday, stoopid. Vitesse are the lambs to the slaughter, expected to play a bit part as AZ grind out another comfortable 1-0 victory and claim the Eredivisie title. The script is there, and the Arnhem side don't look up to pooping the party (tee hee, poop). Amazingly, Twente and Ajax are still in it, albeit only mathematically. Should AZ stumble and fail to get anything from the game then Twente need to beat Feyenoord and Ajax to win The Classic in Eindhoven. Feyenoord were good last week for about the second or third time this season, but Twente are too good for them. Ajax and PSV promises to be a great game. Both arrive in good form, Ajax on the back of sticking seven away and PSV playing some very attractive football with a host of exciting young players all in top form.

Expect some sort of reaction in Nijmegen to the news that the generally hated merger between Roda JC and Fortuna Sittard will not now go ahead. Reliant on the Limburg state government for some sort of bail-out (hark at us with the buzzwords), once the books had been checked, the size of the debt became apparent and state funds could not be poured into a black hole of that magnitude. What that actually means for football in the region isn't clear, but Roda still have relegation issues.

Massive game at the bottom where Volendam host Sparta. Both sides need points, but both would be happy with one, especially if De Graafschap lose at De Vijverberg against Groningen. Volendam and De Graafschap are duking it out in trying to avoid the automatic relegation place. De Graafschap have a one-point advantage, but Volendam's superior goal difference could end up making all the difference. Heracles open the weekend at home to Europa League chasing Breda and a loss there drags them right back in. Neither ADO and Willem II are safe and they face off in Den Haag. A win for either will make them breathe much, much easier.

Utrecht have fallen away in recent weeks and they could do without having to face Heerenveen this week. A sizeable away win is on the cards here.