Match Preview: Venlo 0-1 Sparta Rotterdam Prediction and Betting Tips | Eredivisie

Venlo – Sparta Rotterdam Prediction and Tips for today, March 9, 2021

Match Preview and Predictions

• Still nervously hovering above the relegation play-off berth, VVV-Venlo hit a new low for 2021 with a 6-0 defeat (Mar 6), making it five straight competitive games vs top-flight opposition lost by a 2+ goal margin. Ahead of kick-off, no other Eredivisie side has lost more league games following a drawn first half than Venlo (seven).
• De Koel is the most entertaining Eredivisie ground based on total goals per-match (4.36) – four of the last five league games here produced over 2.5 goals, whilst no side has seen a higher percentage of home league games with both teams scoring (81.82%).
• A home win equalises two records simultaneously. Venlo have lost 40% of their Eredivisie home matches entered as outsiders (W3, D3, L4), while Sparta have won close to the same proportion (38.46%) of home/away league games begun as favourites (W5, D4, L4).
• Disappointingly for them, visitors Sparta Rotterdam were held to a draw vs rock-bottom Emmen last time out, thus extending their winless run of Eredivisie games to eight (D3, L5). Notably, that run also includes games against each of the bottom-three sides (D2, L1).
• Unlike the hosts, eight of Sparta’s last ten away league games have produced under 2.5 total goals, for an average of 2.3 goals per-match across the period. Despite their low average goal returns, six of Sparta’s nine away league games won/lost have been settled by a 2+ goal margin, whilst they scored the opener in all four victories.
• Players to watch: No Eredivisie player has contributed a higher portion of the total team goals than the runaway Eredivisie top-scorer, Venlo’s 23-goal Georgios Giakoumakis (62.16% of total). In opposition, three of Danzell Gravenberch’s four Sparta goals came in his last four appearances, though each of his goalscoring games so far has ended in defeat.
• Hot stat: Seven of Venlo manager Hans de Koning’s last nine career H2Hs with Sparta have seen both teams score (W2, D3, L4).