After two and a half weeks without premier league football, King Football races across the Dutch fields again Sunday. PSV resumes the title fight with an away match at AZ, Ajax takes on FC Utrecht at home. The apotheosis of the season takes place three days later when PSV hosts Heracles Almelo and Ajax visits De Graafschap.
How was it again?
Ajax and PSV are both on 80 points going into the penultimate round of play, so the battle for the national championship will be decided on the final matchday. Ajax has a +10 lead over PSV in terms of goal difference (+81 to +71).
Is history repeating itself?
It's a bit like the denouement of the 2015-2016 season. Then Ajax and PSV were both on 78 points with two duels to go, but an Ajax had a +6 lead in terms of goal difference. In the penultimate round of play, Ajax won 4-0 at home against FC Twente and PSV 'only' 6-2 against No. 18 SC Cambuur, keeping the goal difference the same. On the final matchday, Ajax eventually lost the title due to a 1-1 draw at De Graafschap. PSV won 3-1 at PEC Zwolle.
'Spring break '
PSV will play its first official game in seventeen days on Sunday, since the 0-3 victory over visiting Willem II on April 25. In that span, Ajax played three games: both semifinal duels with Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League and the 4-0 cup final win against Willem II. PSV did practice in between. Last Friday they won 0-5 at Vitesse.
Dubious record in sight
So both PSV and Ajax can still reach 86 points this season. Converted to the three-point system, it has never happened before that a club with so many points did not become champion. Ajax (in 2010) and Feyenoord (in 1973) finished second with 85 points, so far the record for most points without becoming champion.
