Lars Capiau
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Feyenoord and AZ have announced their line-up for the mutual match in the Eredivisie. Arne Slot will again have access to Calvin Stengs against his former employer. He also chooses to position Ramiz Zerrouki in midfield, while Maarten Martens has to do some defensive puzzling on behalf of the home team after Denso Kasius' red card.
Slot changes his team in two places compared to the match with FC Twente (0-0). The coach will again have Calvin Stengs at his disposal against AZ, who was not fit enough to play against the Tukkers. Stengs starts as a right winger, which frees up a place for Zerrouki in midfield.
Stengs' starting position comes at the expense of Bart Nieuwkoop, who started the past two matches as a right winger. Thomas van den Belt, who got another chance in midfield against Twente, will miss the match in Alkmaar due to an injury.
In the meantime, AZ has to do a lot of puzzling at the back. Bruno Martins Indi is fit just in time to make it to the game, but starts on the bench. Yukinari Sugawara is still active with Japan in the Asian Cup, while Kasius received a red card last week. This means there is a starting place for Wouter Goes. Lequincio Zeefuik and Kristijan Belic, who came over this winter, start on the reserve bench.
AZ had an eventful final phase of the transfer market. Offensively, the club had some changes. Jens Odgaard and Mexx Meerdink left on loan to Bologna and Vitesse respectively, while Zeefuik was taken away from FC Volendam. The Alkmaarders strengthened themselves in midfield with Belic, where right back Gonçalo Esteves also came over temporarily.
“We have a selection that is ready for what remains of this season,” Martens was quoted as saying in the run-up to the cracker. “We see plenty of opportunities to hurt them. In any case, we will have to present ourselves well.” AZ has not yet managed to win under his watch. There was a 2-2 draw against both PEC Zwolle and SC Heerenveen.
AZ setup:
Owusu-Oduro; Goes, Penetra, Bazoer, Møller Wolfe; Mijnans, De Wit, Clasie; Addai, Pavlidis, Van Bommel.
Feyenoord line-up:
Bijlow; Geertruida, Trauner, Hancko, Hartman; Wieffer, Zerrouki, Timber; Stengs, Gimenez, Paixão.
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