NAC Breda v Utrecht: play-off push meets survival fight | OneFootball

NAC Breda host Utrecht in the Eredivisie at Rat Verlegh Stadion on Sunday, 14 December 2025, with the bottom club chasing survival points against visitors occupying a qualification play-off berth.

Utrecht won the last league meeting in March 2025, while NAC Breda took the reverse fixture in August 2024. The visitors arrive 7th, the hosts 18th, setting up a clear clash of aims before the winter break.

Form points to a contrast. NAC Breda have lost four league games in a row since beating Go Ahead Eagles on 1 November. Utrecht have drawn their last three Eredivisie matches, following home wins over NEC Nijmegen and Ajax earlier in November.

Squad availability could bite. NAC Breda list Terence Kongolo, Fredrik Jensen, Leo Greiml and Jayden Candelaria as injured. Utrecht report Derry Murkin, Matisse Didden, David Min, Davy Van den Berg and Noah Ohio sidelined.

The match-up may hinge on width and aerial threat. Utrecht have scored 26 league goals and seven of those were headers, supported by 29.65% open-play cross accuracy and 80.08% passing. Souffian El Karouani leads the league for assists with eight. NAC Breda average one goal per game, have one clean sheet and have not yet scored from set pieces in the league. Sydney Van Hooijdonk is their top scorer with five.

A home win would move NAC Breda to 15 points and could lift them off the bottom, strengthening their bid to escape the relegation places. Victory for Utrecht would take them to 25 points and could nudge them up the play-off pack while consolidating their top-seven standing.