In a potentially season-defining Eredivisie match, NAC Breda are set to host relegation-threatened Sparta Rotterdam at Rat Varlegh Stadion on Friday.

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Carl Hoefkens's NAC have alternated between losses and draws in their last five games, and are in poor form having won just one league match in 2025.

Most recently, the hosts lost 1-0 on the road to third-placed Utrecht last Saturday, and the manager will be disappointed that his side failed to respond to Oscar Fraulo's decisive strike.

That result left De Parel van het Zuiden 12th in the table, though they are just three points behind eighth-placed Heerenveen, who occupy the division's final spot for access to the Conference League playoffs.

However, Hoefkens's team are also just four points ahead of their opponents, who are at serious risk of demotion this season, so the boss will be aware that three points either way on Friday could define the course of the rest of the campaign.

NAC won 2-0 in their last clash against the visitors back in December, and a repeat of that result could see them lift their eyes upwards and diminish any fears of being drawn into a relegation battle as the business end of the season approaches.

Meanwhile, Maurice Steijn's Sparta have significantly improved since the turn of the year, and their record of three wins, two draws and two losses in 2025 stands in stark contrast to the eight losses and single stalemate they ended 2024 with.

Last time out, De Kasteelheren thrashed relegation rivals Willem II 4-0 thanks to goals from Mitchell van Bergen and Kristian Hlynsson, as well as a brace from Tobias Lauritsen.

That win took Steijn's side to 23 points for the season, and considering that they are now only one point behind Willem II, two behind PEC Zwolle and three behind NEC Nijmegen, they will be feeling positive about the prospect of Eredivisie survival.

That being said, the visitors are currently in the top flight's relegation playoff spot, and they will have to end their run of back-to-back away defeats if they are to climb up the table this week.

On the other hand, it could be argued that Sparta have faced sides that they expected to lose against given they faced Go Ahead Eagles and Feyenoord in their two most recent fixtures on the road, and with an away win over AZ Alkmaar under their belts from earlier this year, they could walk away with something on Friday.

NAC Breda possible starting lineup:

Bielica; Busi, Greiml, Van den Bergh, Kemper; Staring, Jensen, Balard, Sauer; Mar Omarsson, Van Hoojdonk

Sparta Rotterdam possible starting lineup:

Olij; Bakari, Young, Eerdhuijzen, Van Aaholt; Hlynsson, Zechiel, Clement; Nassoh, Lauritsen, Mito