Heerenveen starts the season with a strong team, with half of the starting players having a serious chance to take a step up. According to Pier Schotanus, an ESPN journalist, this is particularly noticeable at Heerenveen. "Just like at FC Twente, the foundation of Heerenveen, the opponent on Sunday, remained largely intact", he writes. "A calm before the storm, probably, but against FC Twente, the strongest players from last season are still on the pitch. Joris van Overeem left. Jacob Trenskow, Marcus Linday, Oliver Braude, Sam Kersten and Maas Willemsen are still on the team." Schotanus also points out the difference in preparation between the two teams. FC Twente has already played several European matches, while Heerenveen will start the new season officially on Sunday. "FC Twente has experienced everything this season in Europe: winning, drawing and losing. For Heerenveen, the match against the Tukkers is just the official start of the season. Not only because of that, but also because half of the starting players have a serious chance to take a step up." Sam Lammers also receives attention from the journalist. The striker returns to the Abe Lenstra Stadium on Sunday, but will watch the match from the sidelines. "For Sam Lammers, it will be a bittersweet experience: watching from the sidelines in the Abe Lenstra stadium during a sporting low. Nowhere was he as productive as in Friesland. In the 2018/19 season, he scored 16 goals for Heerenveen", Schotanus writes.