# 2010–11 Eredivisie

The 2010–11 Eredivisie is the 55th season of Eredivisie since its establishment in 1955. It began on 6 August 2010 with the first matches of the season and ended on 29 May 2011 with the last matches of the European competition and relegation playoffs. FC Twente were the reigning champions, having won their first Dutch championship the previous season. A total of 18 teams took part in the league. Ajax won their 30th title after beating FC Twente 3–1 on 15 May 2011.

## Teams

RKC Waalwijk were directly relegated to the 2010–11 Eerste Divisie at the end of last season after finishing the season at the bottom of the table, ending one season at the highest division of Dutch football. They were replaced by 2009–10 Eerste Divisie champions De Graafschap, who return to the Eredivisie after one season.
Sparta Rotterdam were also relegated at the end of the promotion/relegation playoff tournament, as they lost their two-legged play-off against city rivals Excelsior on away goals. Sparta hence completed a 5-year stint in the league, while Excelsior played for the first time at the top level in 2 years. In contrast, Willem II retained their Eredivisie spot after beating Go Ahead Eagles after extra time of the return leg.
| Club | Location | Kit maker | Shirt Sponsor | Venue | Capacity |
| ADO Den Haag | The Hague | Hummel | Fit For Free Fitnesscentra | Kyocera Stadion | 15,000 |
| Ajax | Amsterdam | Adidas | Aegon | Amsterdam ArenA | 52,960 |
| AZ | Alkmaar | Quick | Afas Software | AZ Stadion | 17,150 |
| Excelsior | Rotterdam | Masita | DSW Zorgverzekeraar | Woudestein | 3,527 |
| Feyenoord | Rotterdam | Puma | ASR | Stadion Feijenoord | 48,750 |
| De Graafschap | Doetinchem | kwd | Centric | De Vijverberg | 12,600 |
| Groningen | Groningen | Klupp | Noordlease | Euroborg | 22,700 |
| Heerenveen | Heerenveen | Jako | Unive | Abe Lenstra Stadion | 27,000 |
| Heracles Almelo | Almelo | Jako | Ten Cate | Polman Stadion | 8,500 |
| NAC Breda | Breda | Klupp | Sunweb Vakanties | Rat Verlegh Stadion | 19,000 |
| NEC | Nijmegen | Nike | Curaçao | Stadion de Goffert | 12,470 |
| PSV | Eindhoven | Nike | Philips | Philips Stadion | 35,250 |
| Roda JC | Kerkrade | Diadora | Accon AVM | Parkstad Limburg Stadion | 19,500 |
| Twente | Enschede | Diadora | Arke | De Grolsch Veste | 30,100 |
| Utrecht | Utrecht | Kappa | Phanos (since March) Bank of Scotland | Stadion Galgenwaard | 24,426 |
| Vitesse Arnhem | Arnhem | Klupp | Afab | GelreDome | 28,000 |
| VVV-Venlo | Venlo | Masita | Seacon | De Koel | 8,000 |
| Willem II | Tilburg | Masita | Pondres | Koning Willem II Stadion | 14,637 |

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing head coach | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming head coach | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| FC Groningen | Ron Jans | End of contract | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season | Pieter Huistra | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season |
| SC Heerenveen | Jan Everse | End of contract | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season | Ron Jans | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season |
| AZ | Dick Advocaat | Signed by Russia | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season | Gertjan Verbeek | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season |
| Heracles Almelo | Gertjan Verbeek | Signed by AZ | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season | Peter Bosz | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season |
| FC Twente | Steve McClaren | Signed by VfL Wolfsburg | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season | Michel Preud'homme | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season |
| ADO Den Haag | Maurice Steijn | End of caretaker spell | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season | John van den Brom | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season |
| Willem II | Theo de Jong | End of caretaker spell | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season | Gert Heerkes | 1 July 2010 | Pre-season |
| NAC Breda | Robert Maaskant | Signed by Wisła Kraków | 21 August 2010 | 17 | John Karelse, Gert Aandewiel, Arno van Zwam | 21 August 2010 | 13 |
| Vitesse Arnhem | Theo Bos | Sacked | 21 October 2010 | 16 | Albert Ferrer | 27 October 2010 | 15 |
| Ajax | Martin Jol | Resigned | 6 December 2010 | 4 | Frank de Boer | 6 December 2010 | 1 |
| VVV-Venlo | Jan van Dijk | Sacked | 20 December 2010 | 17 | Willy Boessen | 12 January 2011 | 17 |
| Willem II | Gert Heerkes | Contract disbanded | 15 April 2011 | 18 | John Feskens | 15 April 2011 | 18 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Ajax (C) | 34 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 72 | 30 | +42 | 73 | Qualification to Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Twente | 34 | 21 | 8 | 5 | 65 | 34 | +31 | 71 | Qualification to Champions League third qualifying round |
| 3 | PSV | 34 | 20 | 9 | 5 | 79 | 34 | +45 | 69 | Qualification to Europa League play-off round |
| 4 | AZ | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 55 | 44 | +11 | 59 | Qualification to Europa League third qualifying round |
| 5 | Groningen | 34 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 65 | 52 | +13 | 57 | Qualification to European competition play-offs |
| 6 | Roda JC | 34 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 65 | 50 | +15 | 55 | Qualification to European competition play-offs |
| 7 | ADO Den Haag (O) | 34 | 16 | 6 | 12 | 63 | 55 | +8 | 54 | Qualification to European competition play-offs |
| 8 | Heracles | 34 | 14 | 7 | 13 | 65 | 56 | +9 | 49 | Qualification to European competition play-offs |
| 9 | Utrecht | 34 | 13 | 8 | 13 | 55 | 51 | +4 | 47 | |
| 10 | Feyenoord | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 53 | 54 | −1 | 44 | |
| 11 | NEC | 34 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 57 | 56 | +1 | 43 | |
| 12 | Heerenveen | 34 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 60 | 54 | +6 | 41 | |
| 13 | NAC Breda | 34 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 44 | 60 | −16 | 40 | |
| 14 | De Graafschap | 34 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 31 | 56 | −25 | 38 | |
| 15 | Vitesse Arnhem | 34 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 42 | 61 | −19 | 35 | |
| 16 | Excelsior (O) | 34 | 10 | 5 | 19 | 45 | 66 | −21 | 35 | Qualification to relegation play-offs |
| 17 | VVV-Venlo (O) | 34 | 6 | 3 | 25 | 34 | 76 | −42 | 21 | Qualification to relegation play-offs |
| 18 | Willem II (R) | 34 | 3 | 6 | 25 | 37 | 98 | −61 | 15 | Relegation to Eerste Divisie |
* 1 2 Since both 2010–11 KNVB Cup finalists, Twente and Ajax, qualified for the Champions League, allocation of the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League spots was based upon the final league standings, with the cup-winners spot going to the third-placed team and the regular spots available through league placement awarded to the next best teams below.
* ↑ NAC Breda were docked 1 point because they were late with payment obligations to Contractspelers Fonds KNVB (CFK).

## Results

| Home \ Away | ADO | AJX | AZ | EXC | FEY | GRA | GRO | HEE | HER | NAC | NEC | PSV | RJC | TWE | UTR | VIT | VVV | WIL |
| ADO Den Haag | | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 3–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 |
| Ajax | 0–1 | | 4–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| AZ | 3–1 | 2–0 | | 1–1 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 6–1 | 3–0 |
| Excelsior | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–1 | | 3–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 4–0 |
| Feyenoord | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | | 0–1 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 6–1 |
| De Graafschap | 1–0 | 0–5 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Groningen | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | | 1–0 | 1–4 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 7–1 |
| Heerenveen | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 1–4 | | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 6–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 5–0 |
| Heracles | 3–0 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 4–2 | | 4–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 6–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 |
| NAC Breda | 3–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| N.E.C. (football club) | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | | 2–2 | 5–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 |
| PSV Eindhoven | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 10–0 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 4–1 | 3–1 | | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 |
| Roda JC | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | | 0–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 5–2 | 2–2 |
| Twente | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | | 4–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 |
| Utrecht | 2–3 | 3–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–0 |
| Vitesse Arnhem | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 5–2 | 0–3 | 1–4 | | 2–0 | 0–0 |
| VVV-Venlo | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 3–5 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1–4 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–5 | | 0–0 |
| Willem II | 2–4 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 4–3 | 2–6 | 0–1 | 3–5 | 2–4 | 4–5 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 1–4 | |

## Play-offs
### European competition

The teams placed fifth through eighth compete in a play-off tournament for one spot in the second qualifying round of the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League.

#### Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Heracles | 4–4 (a) | Groningen | 3–2 | 1–2 |
| ADO Den Haag | 6–3 | Roda JC | 4–2 | 2–1 |

#### Finals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| ADO Den Haag | 6–6 (p. 4–3) | FC Groningen | 5–1 | 1–5 |

### Relegation

Excelsior and VVV-Venlo joined the Eerste Divisie-teams for the playoffs, after finishing 16th and 17th in the Eredivisie.

#### Round 1

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Volendam | 5–2 | MVV | 3–2 | 2–0 |
| Go Ahead Eagles | 1–3 | Den Bosch | 0–1 | 1–2 |

#### Round 2

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Volendam | 1−4 | VVV-Venlo | 1−2 | 0−2 |
| Cambuur | 3−3 (p. 6–7) | Zwolle | 2−1 | 1−2 |
| Veendam | 3−4 | Helmond Sport | 3−3 | 0−1 |
| Den Bosch | 4−6 | Excelsior | 3−3 | 1−3 |

#### Round 3

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Zwolle | 3–4 | VVV-Venlo | 1−2 | 2–2 |
| Helmond Sport | 3−9 | Excelsior | 1−5 | 2−4 |
VVV-Venlo and Excelsior will play in 2011–12 Eredivisie.

## Top goalscorers

Source: Eredivisie (official site) (in Dutch), Soccerway, ESPN Soccernet
| Pos. | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Björn Vleminckx | NEC | 23 |
| 2 | Dmitri Bulykin | ADO | 21 |
| 3 | Mads Junker | Roda JC | 20 |
| 4 | Tim Matavž | Groningen | 16 |
| 4 | Balázs Dzsudzsák | PSV | 16 |
| 6 | Kolbeinn Sigþórsson | AZ | 15 |
| 6 | Luc Castaignos | Feyenoord | 15 |
| 6 | Everton | Heracles | 15 |
| 6 | Ola Toivonen | PSV | 15 |
| 6 | Ricky van Wolfswinkel | Utrecht | 15 |