The Alkmaarders have made a strong start to the season, scoring 13 goals and conceding just three. Robin Veldman, the Heerenveen trainer, is impressed with AZ's performance and believes they have a good chance of winning the title. "If they continue to play like this, I think AZ is definitely a title contender," Veldman said.
AZ's current form is a far cry from last season, when they were managed by Maarten Martens and lost to Heerenveen at home. Since then, former Heerenveen player Leeroy Echteld has taken the reins, and Veldman is full of praise for his work. "It's really impressive to see how he's done it, the way they play, the energy they have, and the young players he's brought in," Veldman said.
Heerenveen will face AZ at home on Sunday, and Veldman is not intimidated by the challenge. "We're not going to play with the feeling of 'oh, AZ is coming, we have to be careful'," he said. "We see it as an opportunity to respond to our recent defeats against PEC Zwolle and Willem II."
Heerenveen will be without defender Mees Hilgers due to injury, while Marcus Linday and Mats Egbring are also out with injuries. However, the team will welcome Marko Farji and Roberts Uldrikis to the starting lineup, who will make their debuts against AZ.