will Ajax save the Europa League and Twente enter the Champions League?

NOS Football•today, 06:12•Amended today, 06:15

In Eindhoven they are already leading the way. In Enschede they hum the Champions League anthem. And in Amsterdam they adjust their expectations a bit.

Dutch clubs have to crown a long and busy season in the coming weeks. There are still four rounds to go, but this midweek round may soon become clear about the outcome in the Dutch competition.

Will FC Twente, which faces Almere tonight, reach the preliminary round of the Champions League? And will Ajax, which hosts Excelsior tonight, be able to salvage the season somewhat by qualifying for the Europa League?

An overview of which clubs still play for what.

Things can hardly go wrong for PSV. In Eindhoven they can already smell the national title and the decision can already be made in match round 31. If leader PSV achieves a better result than Feyenoord on Thursday, Eindhoven can celebrate its 25th national title.

In any case, the tickets for the group stage of the Champions League have already been distributed: PSV and Feyenoord can already hear the heroic anthem in the distance.

In Enschede they already know the Champions League tune by heart. But would FC Twente fans dare to hum it? Twente (60 points) is close to qualifying for the third qualifying round of the Champions League with a five-point lead over AZ (55 points).

It is not certain yet, because the two sub-toppers will still play against each other on May 5 in matchday 32. Things must be crazy if FC Twente wants to give away third place in the Premier League, because the Tukkers still play against Almere City (number 12), AZ (number 4), FC Volendam (number 17) and PEC Zwolle (number 13).

An easier schedule than AZ, which still faces NEC (number 6), FC Twente (number 3), Go Ahead Eagles (number 8) and FC Utrecht (number 7).

The lead that AZ (55 points) has over Ajax (48 points) and NEC (47 points) should bring enough peace in Alkmaar, but the remaining schedule is not reassuring.

With such a tough program against four sub-top players, the Alkmaarders still have to be careful that Ajax and NEC come alongside. Although these two teams will initially focus on their battle for fifth place.

Few would have thought that after Ajax’s dramatic start to the season – they were last after eight matches played – they would still play for European football. But with four games to go, Ajax (48 points) is in fifth place, a place that entitles them to the second preliminary round of the Europa League.

However, NEC (47 points) is breathing down the neck of the Amsterdam team. NEC only lost two Premier League matches in 2024, they even won against PSV and Twente, they drew against Feyenoord and Ajax. With AZ (number 4), Excelsior (number 15), Feyenoord (number 2) and Almere City (number 12) as the last four matches, reaching fifth place is not impossible. With a bit of luck they can also pass AZ.

Little comes naturally at Ajax this season, but the schedule is relatively easier than that of NEC. With Excelsior (number 15), Volendam (number 17), Almere City (number 12) and Vitesse (number 18) in succession, the preliminary round of the Europa League and perhaps a direct qualification for the Europa League beckon for the Amsterdam team.

Number seven FC Utrecht (45 points) is also by no means without a chance for the Europa League preliminary round. Ron Jans’ team only lost to Ajax and Feyenoord in 2024 and is in excellent form with three victories in the last three matches.

Somewhat in anticipation of who will qualify for the play-offs for the last European ticket (preliminary round of the Conference League), an interesting battle between NEC and FC Utrecht is already beckoning. The chance that numbers six and seven will soon play the final of the play-offs is considerable.

However, the number eight and number nine, Go Ahead Eagles (42 points) and Sparta (40 points), will prey on missteps. However, they are not yet completely sure of qualification for the play-offs, because number ten Heerenveen (36 points) and number eleven Fortuna Sittard (35 points) are four and five points behind.

Even number 12 Almere City is not completely written off yet with 33 points.

With five points behind number sixteen RKC Waalwijk (24 points), a hellish task awaits the Volendam team, especially considering their opponents: Sparta, Ajax, FC Twente and Go Ahead Eagles.

At RKC they mainly look upwards. To Excelsior, which is in the safe position of 15 with 25 points. The remaining schedules are comparable and so it will be nervous weeks in Waalwijk and Rotterdam.