Utrecht take on the visitors Sparta Rotterdam in the first leg of Dutch Eredivisie semifinal match for UEFA Conference League participation. The match will be played on Thursday, June 1st at Stadion Galgenwaard (Utrecht).
Utrecht clearly does not belong to the group of local giants in the Netherlands, where the dominant clubs have traditionally been Ajax, Feyenoord, and PSV. However, overall, this team can be considered part of the second tier. They have managed to win the national cup several times, including in 2004 and 2006, and have often participated in European competitions. They failed to return to that level based on their performance last season, finishing in 7th place. The club entered the playoff matches but lost to Vitesse (a 3-0 exchange of victories with a crucial goal conceded in extra time). So far, only half of the scenario has been repeated. Once again, in the regular season of the Eredivisie, the team finished in the same position. Interestingly, in the penultimate round, after losing to Ajax, Duvikas (a 23-year-old Greek player who scored nearly 20 goals) and his teammates missed the opportunity to move from their current position.
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Sparta Rotterdam were once the main force in their city. Moreover, they were champions of the entire Netherlands five times at the beginning of the last century! However, there was only one peak afterward, in the late 1950s and 1960s (the most recent gold and three cups). Currently, their main struggle is to simply play in the top division of the country. In the previous season, the club came close to relegation, finishing with 35 points, just one point ahead of Heracles (who went into the playoffs) and two points ahead of Willem II. However, this season they made a significant improvement, gaining more than 20 points compared to the 2021/2022 season. As a result, it became clear that they had secured a place in the playoff zone. Perhaps this had a calming effect because after winning five out of six matches, Sparta first drew 3-3 with Twente, and then suffered defeats against not only PSV but also Volendam. However, they delighted the fans with a bright 4-1 victory over Cambuur, which ultimately guaranteed a 6th-place finish.
The last time Sparta won against Utrecht was in 2008. In the current season, Utrecht not only defeated Sparta in the regular season but also scored three goals against them. It is possible that Utreg may not score many goals against the visitors this time. However, playing on their home ground, they should secure another victory.
Prediction for the match: Utrecht to win.
