FC Twente continues its pursuit of a top-three finish as they travel north-west to face AZ Alkmaar at AFAS Stadion on Sunday afternoon, with the hosts also still mathematically involved in the same Champions League qualification race.

With three games left to play, the Enschede visitors sit fifth in the Eredivisie standings, level on points with fourth-placed Ajax but behind on goal difference. They are one adrift of NEC in third and five above this weekend’s hosts, AZ Alkmaar, who recently lifted the KNVB Beker.

AZ Alkmaar has experienced a season of highs and lows in 2025-26, and April proved no exception for the Cheese Farmers’ faithful, who watched their side lift the domestic cup in emphatic fashion just three days after their Conference League exit was confirmed.

With continental football already secured for a seventh consecutive campaign – courtesy of that 5-1 victory over NEC in the KNVB Beker final, which sealed a Europa League berth – a top-three finish would add another lift to an already positive end to the season, though that ambition suffered a setback in Thursday’s trip to Deventer.

Leeroy Echteld’s heavily rotated side were held to a goalless draw by Go Ahead Eagles, once again highlighting AZ Alkmaar’s struggles on the road. However, it did extend their unbeaten league run to three matches, following victories over Fortuna Sittard and Heerenveen.

A return to AFAS Stadion should provide confidence, however, given AZ Alkmaar have won each of their last four Eredivisie matches at the ground, scoring at least three times in three of them, while keeping clean sheets in each of the most recent three. The Cheese Farmers have also won their last four home meetings with FC Twente and will hope that record proves valuable in their late push for third, while also seeking to avoid suffering a first league double in this fixture since 2021-22 after losing 1-0 in November’s reverse clash.