SC Heerenveen has made a strong start to the new Eredivisie season with a win in the first match. Coach Robin Veldman sees the competition becoming more competitive and that his team can challenge the top clubs. 'If you look at how Excelsior did against PSV and Go Ahead against Feyenoord, you notice that the teams are getting smarter,' says Veldman. League standing: 7th in Eredivisie, 3 pts, 1W-0D-0L from 1 games, recent form W.
What happened in the match against Ajax?
In the match against Ajax, Heerenveen showed that they can challenge the top clubs. In the first twenty minutes, Ajax had the upper hand, but in the last twenty minutes, Heerenveen was dominant. 'We expected Ajax to be different,' Veldman admitted. 'They built up differently than we expected, which left a lot of space on the flanks.'
Why is this important for Heerenveen?
The performance against Ajax shows that Heerenveen is a serious competitor in the Eredivisie. With a win in the first match and a goal difference of +1, they are in 7th place, 3 points behind leader AZ Alkmaar. 'If we reach the level of the second half, we can beat anyone,' says midfielder Dirk Proper.
What's next for Heerenveen?
Heerenveen has a challenging match ahead against Sparta Rotterdam, who are currently 11th in the league. The match will take place on January 17, 2027, at home. 'We have to adapt physically, but I'm happy to be playing again,' says Proper, who recently moved from NEC to Heerenveen.
