Football Season Guide

Sparta have made a successful return to the Eredivisie last season after an absence of six years. The Rotterdam side managed to ensure themselves of a second straight year at the highest level of Dutch football by finishing the season in the safety of 15th position in the table. Sparta made an impressive start to the previous season and they were ranked between 7th and 11th for most of the first half of the campaign but the second half was a lot worse, as a result of which the Rotterdam side ended up in a battle to avoid relegation. Finishing the season off with two consecutive victories turned out to be just enough to avoid having to participate in the relegation play-offs. Sparta will be aiming for a third straight year in the Eredivisie, preferably without having to participate in the relegation play-offs again so their target will be to finish the season in at least 15th position again. Not a lot of transfers have taken place so far but two talented defenders, both regulars during the previous season, have left the club. Denzel Dumfries was signed by Heerenveen, while Rick van Drongelen has been taken by Hamburger SV. Mart Dijkstra has made a transfer to NEC Nijmegen while Jerson Cabral and Martin Pusic, who played for Sparta on loan from other clubs during the first half of 2017, have returned to their actual employers. David Mendes da Silva has announced his retirement. A few new players have been added to the squad so far and they have come from all over Europe. Alex Pastoor will have to deal with the departure of his most important assistant, Michael Reiziger, who will be the coach of Jong Ajax in the upcoming season.