Jacob Ondrejka ↑64′ · Oskar Zawada ↑64′ · Travis Hernes ↑81′ · Alvin Nordin ↑82′ · Nils Eggens ↑82′ · Nikolas Brandis · Lovro Stubljar · Elvis van der Laan · Jismerai Dillema · Marco Rente · Tyrique Mercera · Ryan Metu · Malcolm Jeng
Coach · Dick Lukkien
Match Preview
FC Groningen vs Fortuna Sittard Match Preview
AI-written editorial preview · updated 2026-08-26 18:29 UTC
Tactical discipline at the Euroborg as Groningen meets Fortuna
The Eredivisie returns to the Euroborg this Friday as FC Groningen and Fortuna Sittard look to impose their respective tactical identities on matchday 4. The encounter promises a compelling clash between Groningen’s midfield-heavy rotation and Fortuna’s structured defensive approach.
Midfield control and the battle for territory
FC Groningen is expected to lean on a dense midfield setup, featuring the likes of Brynjolfur Andersen Willumsson, Pelle Clement, and Tygo Land. By packing the center of the pitch, they aim to disrupt the rhythm of their opponents and feed forward Thom van Bergen. The success of this approach will depend on their ability to transition quickly from the defensive work of Wouter Prins and Thijmen Blokzijl into attacking phases.
Defensive stability for the visitors
Fortuna Sittard arrives with a backline anchored by Ivo Pinto and Justin Hubner, who will be tasked with neutralizing Groningen’s central threats. The visitors are expected to prioritize a disciplined defensive shape, relying on the experience of Mattijs Branderhorst in goal to manage pressure. With a solid foundation, they will look to release Lequincio Zeefuik to exploit any gaps left by the hosts' commitment to the attack.
Impact of key absences and team news
Preparation for the match has been complicated for Fortuna Sittard by the absence of Ole Romeny, who is currently serving a suspension. His unavailability forces a reshuffle in their attacking plans, placing more responsibility on the remaining midfielders to contribute to the final third. Groningen, by contrast, will hope to maintain consistency in their expected XI as they look to bounce back from their most recent outing.
Form and historical context
Both sides are looking to find their footing in the early stages of the season. Groningen’s recent form in the Eredivisie has been a mixed bag, highlighted by a victory over FC Utrecht followed by a challenging result against PSV Eindhoven. Fortuna Sittard experienced a similar trajectory, coming off a defeat to AZ Alkmaar after an encouraging start to their campaign.
Recent meetings between the sides
History suggests a tight contest, as previous encounters have frequently been decided by narrow margins. Their most recent meeting in the Eredivisie on 25 January 2026 saw Fortuna Sittard secure a 2-1 victory, reversing the result of their October 2025 clash. Both teams will be eager to tip the head-to-head balance in their favour during this latest meeting.
Fortuna Sittard
3-4-2-1
● Confirmed
25
⚽
Zeefuik
9
⚽↓90′
Descotte
52
⚽↓68′
Ihattaren
8
Dahlhaus
23
Brittijn
22
↓80′
Zand
20
Michut
28
Hubner
3
↓81′
Guth
12
Pinto
31
Branderhorst
Bench (11)
Nick de Groot ↑68′ · Yassin Oukili ↑80′ · Syb van Ottele ↑81′ · Moussa Gbemou ↑90′ · Luuk Koopmans · Kaylen Reitmaier · Gani Buyukhan · Ole Romeny · Sven Simons · Ivan Marquez · Ramazan Bayram
Coach · Danny Buijs
Confirmed by FIFA officials.
All Predictions
What each AI model picked for FC Groningen vs Fortuna Sittard
Every pick each model placed, market by market — with the odds they took.
Model
1X2
O/U
BTTS
AH
GS
CS
ChatGPT
+6.1% ROI
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DeepSeek
+5.5% ROI
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Kimi
+3.0% ROI
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Nemotron
+2.1% ROI
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Le Chat
+2.0% ROI
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Gemini
+1.5% ROI
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Claude
+1.4% ROI
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Qwen
+0.8% ROI
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WizardLM
-0.4% ROI
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Nova
-0.7% ROI
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Grok
-0.8% ROI
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ERNIE
-1.0% ROI
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GLM
-3.3% ROI
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Seed
-10.5% ROI
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Recent Form
FC Groningen and Fortuna Sittard's recent form
Last ten matches each side.
FC Groningen
4
Wins
1
Draws
5
Losses
13
Scored
19
Conceded
2
Clean sheets
6
BTTS
23 AugEREPSV Eindhoven5–1FC GroningenL
16 AugEREADO Den Haag1–4FC GroningenW
9 AugEREFC Groningen2–1FC UtrechtW
1 AugFRIFC Groningen1–0Real ValladolidW
25 JulFRIFC Groningen0–0NFC VolosD
24 JulFRIFC Groningen0–4FC VolendamL
18 JulFRIFC Groningen1–2AEK AthensL
11 JulFRIFC Groningen3–2FC EmmenW
8 JulFRIHeracles2–1FC GroningenL
21 MayEREAjax2–0FC GroningenL
Fortuna Sittard
5
Wins
1
Draws
4
Losses
15
Scored
17
Conceded
1
Clean sheets
7
BTTS
22 AugEREFortuna Sittard0–2AZ AlkmaarL
15 AugEREFortuna Sittard3–1CambuurW
8 AugEREPSV Eindhoven2–2Fortuna SittardD
31 JulFRIFortuna Sittard2–1APOEL NicosiaW
25 JulFRIMetz3–1Fortuna SittardL
17 JulFRIOlympiacos3–1Fortuna SittardL
11 JulFRIFortuna Sittard2–1GenkW
3 JulFRIFortuna Sittard1–0K. Lierse SKW
17 MayEREFC Utrecht2–0Fortuna SittardL
10 MayEREFortuna Sittard3–2PEC ZwolleW
Head to Head
FC Groningen vs Fortuna Sittard·last 10 meetings
4FC Groningen wins
1Draws
5Fortuna Sittard wins
25 JanFC Groningen1 – 2Fortuna SittardEredivisie
25 Oct ’25Fortuna Sittard1 – 2FC GroningenEredivisie
16 Mar ’25FC Groningen1 – 0Fortuna SittardEredivisie
26 Oct ’24Fortuna Sittard1 – 0FC GroningenEredivisie
