AZ has been in remarkably good form in the Premier League in recent weeks. Maarten Martens’ team has won four times in a row, which means that fellow leader PSV seems to have come at a good time for a showdown. “It is certainly a crucial match,” says Martens.
If they win, AZ will approach the Eindhoven team to within one point. The Alkmaarders are currently in third place in the Premier League and have defeated Telstar, Ajax, FC Utrecht and Sparta Rotterdam in recent weeks.
Injury wave
Yet there are certainly concerns at AZ. This week the team was dealing with a wave of injuries. Denso Kasius, Ro-Zangelo Daal, Matej Sin, Dave Kwakman, Jordy Clasie, Mexx Meerdink and Seiya Maikuma had to miss the match against Crystal Palace. “We now have too many for a while,” says Martens about the number of injuries.
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Martens hopes to be able to call on Matej Sin again for the match against PSV. Dave Kwakman and Ro-Zangelo Daal are still question marks. Jordy Clasie was pain-free for a while, but still suffered a setback. “Straight, straight was fine, but when he had to twist and turn, it remained sensitive.”
In the Conference League, AZ lost 3-1 at Crystal Palace. PSV scored a point against Olympiakos Pireaus (1-1). Both teams will face each other in Alkmaar on Sunday. The match starts at 4:45 PM and can be followed live on NH Radio and via our live blog.