Fifth-placed Groningen enters their match against struggling Ajax on Sunday at Euroborg just one point and one position behind the Amsterdam club in the Eredivisie standings. Under the management of Dick Lukkien, Groningen is currently unbeaten in their last four matches, securing two victories. In contrast, Ajax has not won in their last three outings, suffering a defeat to Hajduk Split on Thursday evening. Historically, Groningen has struggled against Ajax, winning only one of their last ten competitive encounters. However, they will be hopeful of replicating last season's 3-1 win in this fixture from the 2025-26 season. Groningen's start to the season has been inconsistent, featuring two wins followed by a heavy 5-1 loss to PSV Eindhoven and a narrow 3-2 defeat to Fortuna Sittard. They have since managed two draws against strong opponents FC Twente and Go Ahead Eagles, along with victories over PEC Zwolle and SBV Excelsior, propelling them to fifth place. Fans will be pleased with Groningen's attacking prowess, as they achieved a 3-0 victory against Zwolle for their first clean sheet of the season before a dominant 5-1 win over Excelsior last time out. These recent successes position them well to challenge Ajax again, having previously drawn 2-2 at Euroborg two seasons ago and then achieving a 3-1 victory in March, marking their first win over Ajax in six years. On the other hand, Ajax's traveling supporters may be disheartened by their team's recent performances, which have seen a disappointing start to their Conference League campaign. Their 2-1 loss in Croatia on Thursday was Ajax's first defeat since early September and marked their third match without a win, following draws against Excelsior and NEC Nijmegen around the international break.