The European football season is close to concluding, meaning plenty of our Aussies abroad are in the mix for titles, promotion, European qualification and unfortunately relegation.
Netherlands
Brad Jones (Feyenoord)
The 35-year-old perennial back-up keeper is on the verge of his greatest triumph, with Feyenoord one win away from the Dutch Eredivisie title. Feyenoord sits four points ahead of second-placed Ajax with two games to play. Third-placed PSV cannot catch Feyenoord. Feyenoord face 13th-placed Excelsior (away) and ninth-placed Heracles (home) in their final two games.
Prediction: Champions
Craig Goodwin & Kenny Dougall (Sparta Rotterdam)
Things are looking bleak for the Aussie duo across town at Sparta, currently sitting 16th (third last) with two games to go. Sparta are two points from safety, with 16th and 17th to enter into the relegation play-offs lottery. In the past three seasons, five of the six Eredivisie clubs in the play-offs have gone down in a bad sign. Sparta’s run of five straight defeats is a worry too. They play bottom club Go Ahead Eagles on the final day in a must-win.
Prediction: 16th, Relegation in play-offs
Stefan Mauk (NEC Nijmegen)
NEC are level on points with Sparta but below them in 17th on goal difference, however their form is alarming having lost their past seven games. Sitting two points from safety, with Roda JC in 15th, they face European hopefuls AZ and Heerenveen in their final two games and it’s hard to make a case for them to make up the difference. At best, they’ll want to find some form ahead of the play-offs.
Prediction: 17th, Relegation in play-offs
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