Ajax vs FC Twente: Eredivisie Preview

Once firmly in the driver’s seat, Ajax's title push has crumbled under pressure. Just six points from their final five matches would have been enough to seal the championship, but a shocking 4-0 defeat to Utrecht last month sparked a collapse that few could have predicted. Since then, Francesco Farioli’s side have taken just two points from a possible 12, capped by a devastating 2-2 draw away at relegated Groningen midweek. Despite leading twice—first through Anton Gaaei and then via Wout Weghorst—Ajax were denied victory by Thijmen Blokzijl’s 95th-minute equaliser for the 10-man hosts.

Now trailing PSV Eindhoven, who face Sparta Rotterdam on the final day, Ajax require a win and a major favour from Sparta to reclaim top spot. Farioli, speaking pre-match, was defiant: “Anything can happen in football,” though few around Amsterdam are holding their breath.

By contrast, FC Twente arrive in the capital with their season essentially settled. Locked into sixth place regardless of Sunday’s result due to their superior head-to-head record over Go Ahead Eagles, the Tukkers have little at stake—though pride and the chance to dent Ajax’s title dreams may prove strong motivators.

Joseph Oosting’s men have endured a patchy 2025, with only six wins in their last 16 league games and just two victories in their previous eight. They squandered a 2-1 lead last weekend at home to AZ Alkmaar, falling to a 3-2 defeat that encapsulated their frustrating spring form. That loss also highlighted Twente’s continuing away-day woes: they’ve won just once on the road in their last nine Eredivisie trips since December.

Recent meetings between these two sides have tended to favour Ajax, but their 6-1 demolition of Twente in Enschede last season feels like a distant memory given their current struggles.

Team news adds to the complications for the home side. Defender Anton Gaaei is suspended after picking up a fifth yellow card, while Olivier Edvardsen and Youri Baas remain sidelined through injury. Brian Brobbey, who featured midweek despite a knock, is expected to lead the line again.

For the visitors, Sem Steijn—set to collect the Eredivisie Golden Boot and bound for Feyenoord in the summer—will play his final game for Twente. The Tukkers are without Sam Lammers (shoulder), Taylor Booth (muscle), and Naci Unuvar, while Younes Taha is a doubt.

With one final twist still possible in this dramatic Eredivisie campaign, Ajax will aim to do their part in front of an anxious home crowd, while Twente look to end their season on a high—and perhaps add another bitter note to their host’s unravelled title bid.