The 2006–07 Eredivisie season began on August 18, 2006. The season saw PSV Eindhoven quickly building a gap with the other teams. After 20 matches, the club was 11 points ahead of AZ and 12 points ahead of Ajax. The lead quickly dissipated in the 13 matches that followed. A draw of PSV at FC Utrecht in the penultimate round saw AZ and Ajax catching up. The three clubs were all on 72 points from 33 matches, with the AZ on top due to goal difference.

Ajax were second, PSV were third. AZ suffered a shock defeat at league minnows Excelsior Rotterdam in the final round, playing with 10 men after 15 minutes in the game. Ajax won 0–2 against Willem II, and PSV beat Vitesse 5–1. PSV and Ajax both finished on 75 points, but PSV finished first due to a better goal difference (+50, against +49 for Ajax) to end one of the most exciting and closest title races in many years.

Promoted team This team was promoted from the Eerste Divisie at the start of the season: Excelsior (Eerste Divisie champions)

Relegated teams The following teams were relegated to the Eerste Divisie at the end of the season: ADO Den Haag RKC Waalwijk

Promoted teams The following teams were promoted from the Eerste Divisie at the end of the season: De Graafschap VVV-Venlo

League table

Results

Play-offs

For UEFA competitions For one Champions League ticket and three UEFA Cup tickets

Ajax have qualified for 2007–08 UEFA Champions League. AZ, FC Twente and Heerenveen have qualified for the 2007–08 UEFA Cup.

For one UEFA Cup ticket and possibly one Intertoto Cup ticket

FC Groningen have qualified for the 2007–08 UEFA Cup. FC Utrecht faced Vitesse (the team winning match J) for one ticket to the UEFA Intertoto Cup 2007.

For possibly one Intertoto Cup ticket

Vitesse faced FC Utrecht (the team losing match G) for one ticket to the UEFA Intertoto Cup 2007.

For the Intertoto Cup ticket

FC Utrecht have qualified for the UEFA Intertoto Cup 2007.

Relegation playoffs Round 1 Team #1 Aggregate Team #2 Match 1 Match 2 Match 3FC Zwolle 1-2 FC Dordrecht 0-1 1-1 Not playedBV Veendam 5-3 Go Ahead Eagles 5-1 0-2 Not played All teams play a home and an away match, with the possibility of a third match in case of a tie. The team that has scored the most away goals in the first two legs will play the deciding third leg at home. If both teams have scored an equal number of away goals, a penalty shootout after the second leg will decide who plays at home in the third leg. Round 2 Team #1 Aggregate Team #2 Match 1 Match 2 Match 3FC Dordrecht 2-5 RKC Waalwijk 2-0 0-2 0-3FC Den Bosch 2-3 VVV-Venlo 1-2 1-0 0-1FC Volendam 3-6 RBC Roosendaal 3-5 0-1 Not playedBV Veendam 0-4 Excelsior 0-1 0-3 Not played All teams play a home and an away match, with the possibility of a third match in case of a tie. The team that has scored the most away goals in the first two legs will play the deciding third leg at home. If both teams have scored an equal number of away goals, a penalty shootout after the second leg will decide who plays at home in the third leg. Round 3 Team #1 Aggregate Team #2 Match 1 Match 2 Match 3VVV-Venlo 5-1 RKC Waalwijk 2-0 0-1 3-0RBC Roosendaal 1-2 Excelsior 1-1 0-1 Not played All teams play a home and an away match, with the possibility of a third match in case of a tie. The team that has scored the most away goals in the first two legs will play the deciding third leg at home. If both teams have scored an equal number of away goals, a penalty shootout after the second leg will decide who plays at home in the third leg.

The winners of matches G and H will play in the Eredivisie 2007/2008

Top scorers Pos. Player Club Goals1. Afonso Alves SC Heerenveen 342. Blaise Nkufo FC Twente 22 Danny Koevermans AZ 224. Jefferson Farfán PSV 21 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Ajax 216. Danko Lazović Vitesse 197. Wesley Sneijder Ajax 188. Kennedy Bakırcıoğlu FC Twente 159. Shota Arveladze AZ 1410. Erik Nevland FC Groningen 13

Awards

Dutch Footballer of the Year Individual awards Dutch Footballer of the Year: Afonso Alves (SC Heerenveen) Johan Cruyff Talent of the Year: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven) Top scorer: Afonso Alves (SC Heerenveen) – 34 goals

Team of the Year The following players were selected in the Voetbal International Team of the Year for the 2006–07 Eredivisie season. Team of the Year Goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes(PSV) Defenders Jan Kromkamp(PSV) Alex(PSV) Joris Mathijsen(AZ) Tim de Cler(AZ) Midfielders Phillip Cocu(PSV) Ibrahim Afellay(PSV) Wesley Sneijder(Ajax) Forwards Jefferson Farfán(PSV) Afonso Alves(Heerenveen) Danny Koevermans(AZ)

Stadiums

Team Stadium Capacity Ajax Amsterdam ArenA 51,628 Feyenoord Feijenoord Stadion 51,177 PSV Philips Stadion 35,119 Vitesse Gelredome 26,600 Heerenveen Abe Lenstra Stadion 26,000 Utrecht Stadion Galgenwaard 24,426 Groningen Euroborg 19,814 Roda JC Parkstad Limburg Stadion 19,979 AZ DSB Stadion 17,023 NAC Rat Verlegh Stadion 17,064 Willem II Willem II Stadion 14,637 Twente Arke Stadion 13,740 NEC Stadion de Goffert 12,470 ADO Zuiderpark Stadion 10,500 Sparta Sparta Stadion / Het Kasteel 11,026 Heracles Polman Stadion 8,500 RKC Mandemakers Stadion 7,500 Excelsior Stadion Woudestein 3,527

Attendances

See also 2006–07 KNVB Cup 2006–07 Eerste Divisie

References

External links Eredivisie.nl - Official website Eredivisie KNVB.nl - Official website KNVB Eredivisie on rsssf.com