The KNVB confirmed on Tuesday that FC Utrecht-AZ will be overtaken on Sunday 27 December. The match in Stadium Galgenwaard will thus be the first Eredivisie game between Christmas and New Year since 2008.
In the first decade of this century, Eredivisie matches were regularly scheduled between Christmas and New Year. The last time was on December 28, 2008; Ajax won 3-0 against ADO Den Haag that day and AZ was 1-0 too strong for NEC.
In recent years, the last round of the calendar year was in the days before Christmas and this year the last games were scheduled for Sunday, December 23. FC Utrecht-AZ will still go into the books on December 27 at 2.30 p.m. as the last Eredivisie match of 2020, after which the competition will resume on January 9, 2021.
FC Utrecht-AZ was supposed to be the first game of the Eredivisie season on Saturday, September 12, but that game was postponed at the request of the Alkmaarders due to European obligations. Three days later, the Alkmaarders played against Dynamo Kiev in the preliminary round of the Champions League (2-0 loss) and thus had more time to prepare.
Due to the postponement, AZ and FC Utrecht have now only played one Eredivisie match. AZ did not get further than 1-1 against PEC Zwolle and that was also the result at VVV-Venlo against FC Utrecht.
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