Eredivisie preview: Home team members foretelling a victory when AZ host Excelsior

One slightly interesting match fact is that this game is played on grass and that the visiting Excelsior have a different surface at their stadium (artifical turf). The impact of this is hard to measure exactly, but the visitors stats on grass is 4-2-11 (win-draw-loss) from 17 matches.

AZ have less rest than Excelsior in this fixture, as the hosts were involved in a KNVB Beker game only three days ago. This match was also played here at AFAS Stadion. With two consecutive home games the intense schedule is somewhat softened. Still, Excelsior have had more rest.

AZ form and stats

4 victories, 4 draws and 1 defeat. That’s what AZ have to build on here at AFAS Stadion in the Eredivisie.

The AZ regulars got no joy from their last match, a KNVB Beker duel also played here at AFAS Stadion: A 1-2 defeat against FC Utrecht. Karlsson (midfield) was the top team player in that game with a rating of 7.65/10. Karlsson scored one goal and hit three key passes.

An interesting fact: 13 of the latest 15 league games from this club have had goals from both teams.

Defensively it’s touch-and-go for the home team as 14 goals have been conceded. It's worth mentioning that 7 of these goals has been conceded in their last three home matches.

Excelsior form and stats

Excelsior have only collected 4 points from their away games in the Eredivisie, after 1-1-8 (10 played). Bitter travels for Excelsior as they have lost five games in a row away from home. The last time they avoided an away-from-home loss was the NEC match.

Excelsior delivered a 0-0 draw playing at home against RKC Waalwijk (placed 9th) in their previous game. van Gassel had red hot gloves after the game against RKC Waalwijk, shaping the outcome of the game with six saves made. van Gassel (goalkeeper) was the best performer with a rating of 8.45. Gassel topped it up with a clean sheet.

The visitors have scored 8 goals from 10 away games in the league, an average of less than one per game. Excelsior are struggling defensively in their away games, having conceded 8 goals in these matches. Excelsior has visited these top teams four times, and 3 of 4 has ended with 2 goals or more!

Head 2 Head

These opponents have played before this season: Excelsior - AZ 2-1. Head-2-head stats last ten meetings: four - two - four (AZ wins - draws - Excelsior wins). As for goals, seven matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), three had two or less.

Top Goalscorers

V. Pavlidis 9 goals

J. Odgaard 7 goals

D. de Wit 5 goals

AZ missing players

Excelsior missing players