Eredivisie Preview: European spot up for grabs

The Eredivisie play-offs get underway on Thursday, with a spot in the UEFA Europa League to play for between four teams.

Twente, who finished sixth, will face a Groningen side who finished just a place below them but will take confidence from their results against Robert Maaskant’s men in the Eredivisie this season.

At Groningen in March, Twente were 3-0 winners with goals from Leroy Fer, Dusan Tadic and Luc Castaignos, while the return fixture saw Twente run out 4-1 victors.

Tadic again got on the scoresheet with two goals while Nacer Chadli also bagged a brace with Groningen’s consolation coming from Leandro Bacuna.

In terms of form, Twente also come in on the back of some impressive results, winning four of their last six, including a victory against PSV in the last game of the regular Eredivisie season.

Groningen on the other hand are without a victory in their last three games, having lost against PSV and Ajax as well as drawing 0-0 at VVV Venlo.

In the other play-off, fifth-placed FC Utrecht travel to Heerenveen, with three places separating the two sides in the Eredivisie standings.

The two sides played one another only this month, with Utrecht running our 4-2 winners thanks to goals from Jens Toornstra, Jacob Mulenga, Jan Wuytens and Mike van der Hoorn.

Utrecht also won the return fixture in December, with a Mulenga goal and a brace Leon de Kogel securing the three points.

Having won five of their last six games. Utrecht are in good form having recovered well from their 6-0 defeat at AZ Alkmaar.

Heerenveen on the other hand have won just once in their last six outings, beating Willem II 3-2, although they did hold champions Ajax to a 1-1 draw at the Amsterdam Arena in April.