FC Groningen host Fortuna Sittard at the Euroborg on 28 August 2026 in Eredivisie Matchday 4, with both clubs sitting in the upper half of the table after three games. Groningen are fifth with six points from two wins and a loss, while Fortuna sit eighth on four points having won once and drawn once. The hosts are chasing European spots on the back of a solid post promotion campaign, Fortuna are more modest in their aims, targeting something around where they finished last season. Dick Lukkien took over at Groningen on 1 July 2023, replacing interim Dennis van der Ree, who had stepped in after Frank Wormuth, while Danny Buijs arrived at Fortuna on the same date, replacing Julio Velázquez. This is still a relatively new matchup between the two managers, so their head to head history means little here. Market odds around 1.47-1.52 have Groningen as slight favourites, reflecting their home record and the head to head points gap, though the 5-1 against PSV is a reason not to take them too seriously yet.
Groningen arrive on the back of a W-W-L run: a 2-1 win over Utrecht, a convincing 4-1 over ADO Den Haag, then a 5-1 hammering from PSV that reminded everyone of the gap still between them and the league's elite. Fortuna's L-W-D run mirrors that unevenness: a 0-2 loss to AZ, a 3-1 win over Cambuur, then a 2-2 draw against PSV that is the more interesting result of the two, given PSV had just put five past Groningen.
Groningen are without Malcolm Jeng, out with an Achilles injury and Stije Resink, who has left for AZ entirely, while Fortuna have longer term concerns in Iván Márquez and Kristoffer Peterson, both sidelined until around October. These are not cosmetic absences: they change the shape of what each side can actually do.
Lukkien runs a high energy 4-2-3-1 built on pressing, wide full backs and fast transitions. The system becomes a little more exposed in the engine room without Jeng and Resink: captain Thijmen Blokzijl drops deeper to cover, leaving Brynjolfur Willumsson, the early season top scorer, to lead the line with less midfield support behind him. Thom van Bergen supplies the creativity from attacking midfield and Jorg Schreuders provides width from right back, though the loss of Resink's central stability is the real concern.
Buijs works from a 3-4-2-1 or a flexible back four depending on the game, with Fortuna most dangerous on the counter and from set pieces. Ole Romeny leads the line and Lequincio Zeefuik runs in behind, with Edouard Michut creating in midfield. The absences of Márquez and Peterson thin both defensive cover and wide options, leaving Buijs with a squad harder to rotate through a congested schedule than he would like.
Blokzijl needs to track Zeefuik's runs in behind while still organising Groningen's shape from deep, a difficult ask in a single role. Van Bergen has the ability to exploit that space when it opens and Willumsson's hold up play gives van Bergen and the runners around him more time to arrive. Conversely, if Michut wins the second ball quickly and plays forward before Groningen reset, Romeny's pace becomes relevant once the defensive line is high. Groningen's pressing should dominate the territorial battle early but the PSV result is a live warning: when their transitions break down, Fortuna only need one to make it count. Peterson's absence removes Fortuna's most direct threat down the left, pushing them toward playing narrower through Michut rather than the flanks, which means Groningen see more possession than either side expected and should suit van Bergen.
Across roughly 14 meetings the fixture has been about as even as these things get with six wins apiece and two draws, though Groningen's home record in this fixture gives them a modest edge on neutral ground.
Fortuna's dead balls are a concern for Groningen: Zeefuik and Romeny both attack deliveries into the box and Blokzijl may be occupied tracking those runs rather than defending his own zone. Groningen have scored six across their two home wins, which their press can build from, though the Márquez and Peterson absences push Fortuna toward sitting deeper and hitting on the break, limiting open play on both sides and reducing Groningen's chances of multiple goals.
1-0 to Groningen. The hosts should generate enough from their press and transitions to break down Fortuna's shape, particularly with Márquez and Peterson missing. Groningen's own absences make the midfield scrappier than Lukkien would like but their press should be enough to keep Fortuna pinned back long enough to create and take one chance. Willumsson or van Bergen to score, one goal to win it.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
