FC Twente welcome PEC Zwolle to De Grolsch Veste on 16 August 2026 for what looks, on squad depth and recent European form, like a fixture with a clear favourite. John van den Brom has been in charge at Twente since September 2025 on a deal running through 2027, with technical director Erik ten Hag providing strategic oversight for 2026/27. At Zwolle, Henry van der Vegt has held the reins since July 2025 on the same length. The two coaches have barely crossed paths in the dugout, so the head to head tells us little.
Both clubs lost their openers, though the circumstances could not be more different. Twente fell 0-1 at Heerenveen whereas Zwolle were beaten 0-2 at home by Ajax, a result that looks worse when you remember they played more than half an hour with ten men. Twente are also juggling Conference League play off commitments after exiting the Europa League qualifiers, though the 6-0 dismantling of DAC Dunajska Streda in the most recent of those ties suggests the squad is managing the schedule comfortably, even if the legs will not be entirely fresh come matchday.
Zwolle have shown nothing in front of goal so far this term and six goals in a single Conference League qualifier points to a Twente attack operating well above anything Zwolle have matched in any competitive fixture this season.
Twente must cope without Mees Hilgers, sidelined with a knee problem, while Stav Lemkin's fitness is uncertain. Zwolle are missing suspended full back Sherel Floranus and injured attacker Younes Namli. Both sides are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1. Twente will likely field Lars Unnerstall behind a back four of Bart van Rooij, Max Bruns, Robin Propper and Aske Adelgaard, with Ramiz Zerrouki and Thomas van den Belt in front of them and Marko Pjaca, Daan Rots and Sondre Orjasaeter operating behind Wout Weghorst. Zwolle are expected to go with Jasper Schendelaar in goal, a back four of Thierry Aertssen, Anselmo Garcia MacNulty (or Graves), Jan Paul van Hecke (or Viergever) and Damian van der Sluijs (or Tijs Velthuis), Mohamed Mbayo shielding the defence alongside Thomas or Tygo Maas, with Che Nunnely (or Cissoko) and Kaj Sierhuis (or Koen Kostons) wide and Thijs Oosting through the middle.
Van den Brom has built Twente around fast vertical transitions and a disciplined press, with Zerrouki orchestrating from deep and Weghorst holding the line high to drag centre backs out of position. Zwolle prefer to sit deep and break on the counter, a reasonable approach against mid table opposition but one that unravels when the opposition can move quickly through midfield. Zerrouki is the player to watch in that regard: if he wins his battles in the middle third, Rots and Orjasaeter will have room behind Zwolle's back four and whoever fills in at right back with Floranus suspended is unlikely to handle that combination without giving ground.
The positions where the gap matters most are striker, central midfield and goalkeeper. Weghorst against Zwolle's centre backs is the individual battle most likely to settle things and the home crowd at De Grolsch Veste adds pressure on visitors who already look fragile after conceding two and losing a man last weekend.
Twente have won 22 of the last 25 or so meetings between these clubs. Recent seasons have been slightly tighter and Zwolle did take all three points away in 2024/25 but the historical weight is firmly on Twente's side and nothing from Zwolle's opener suggests they can repeat that result here.
The prediction is a 2-0 Twente win. Zerrouki and Weghorst are operating at a level above anything Zwolle's midfield and defensive line can match on current form and Zwolle badly need to stay disciplined after the red card in their opener given how much space they conceded even before that dismissal.
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?.
