AZ Alkmaar vs Excelsior: pre-game Stats and Predictions
On January 21st 2026, Eredivisie rivals AZ Alkmaar and Excelsior will meet up in what should be an engaging game between home team AZ Alkmaar looking to maintain recent form, while away side Excelsior looking for redemption after difficult away fixtures. This preview will examine recent performances, head-to-head statistics, as well as provide predictions as to how this match may play out.
Pre-game Form
AZ Alkmaar: AZ Alkmaar enters this match with a solid run of performances, particularly at home. In their last five home matches, they have recorded three wins, one draw, and one loss. The team showed strong attacking capability in matches such as the impressive 6-0 win over Ajax and a narrow 1-0 victory against Volendam. While there was a late setback with a 3-4 loss at Fortuna Sittard, AZ has demonstrated resilience and ability to control games on their turf.
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 14.01.2026 | AZ vs Ajax | 6 – 0 |
| 10.01.2026 | AZ vs Volendam | 1 – 0 |
| 21.12.2025 | Fortuna Sittard vs AZ | 4 – 3 |
Excelsior: Excelsior has had a mixed set of results during their recent away games. Their performances include a tough 1-5 defeat at the hands of PSV but also some positive moments such as a 2-1 win against PEC Zwolle and a 2-2 draw versus Telstar. However, consistency remains a challenge with goalless draws and losses peppered among their recent outings. This inconsistency could be a hurdle for them when facing a team like AZ Alkmaar on their home ground.
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 10.01.2026 | PSV vs Excelsior | 5 – 1 |
| 20.12.2025 | Excelsior vs PEC Zwolle | 2 – 1 |
| 17.01.2026 | Excelsior vs Telstar | 2 – 2 |
Head to Head stats
The head-to-head contests between AZ Alkmaar and Excelsior show a competitive dynamic, though AZ has typically held the upper hand, especially in recent encounters. The biggest victory in their meetings came on February 10, 2023, when AZ secured a comprehensive 5-0 win at home. This result reflects AZ’s superior firepower and control in that fixture. However, Excelsior has also enjoyed notable success; their biggest victory against AZ was a 4-2 home win on May 15, 2019, indicating that the visitors are capable of causing problems when they perform at their best.
Analyzing their previous matches suggests a balanced rivalry with both sides having moments of dominance. Historically, AZ often leverages home advantage effectively in this matchup, while Excelsior tends to push hard to capture points when playing at home rather than away.
Match Predictions
Considering recent form and historical data, AZ Alkmaar is the favorite to win this clash, especially at home where their attacking prowess has been on clear display. A home win prediction aligns with AZ’s stronger recent results and Excelsior’s struggles in away matches. However, a draw could still be possible given Excelsior’s occasional ability to score on the road and their resilience shown in recent draws like the 2-2 against Telstar.
As for goal scoring, it seems highly probable that AZ Alkmaar will score at least one goal given their impressive offensive strength, demonstrated in their six-goal outburst against Ajax. Excelsior are expected to also find the net based on past history – they tend to score even in tough matches! On the contrary, shutout against Excelsior seems less likely due to their capabilities but keeping a clean sheet still possible should their defense hold solidly throughout this matchup.
Final Thoughts
AZ Alkmaar’s recent home dominance and Excelsior’s road consistency will create an intriguing contest when they meet next in Eredivisie action. While AZ stands as a clear favorite, Excelsior has shown their abilities against larger sides on occasion – so fans should expect an engaging contest featuring goals from both teams with home team taking home victory more likely but no guarantee due to unpredictability from Excelsior that ensures this game won’t go according to plan!
The article provides a match preview for the Dutch Eredivisie football meeting between AZ Alkmaar and Excelsior, which will be played on 2026-01-21. Previous references to H2H stats and team performance from the past meetings are included to help you better assess what might happen during this game.
