On Saturday, Club Brugge recalled its champion status by crushing Sint-Truiden 7-0. A stark contrast to the misstep on the pitch in Beerschot before the international break. This recovery bears the mark of one of the “new leaders” of the team.
Just before the international break, the Blauw en Zwart suffered a major disappointment. After a promising start and a quick two-goal lead against bottom side Beerschot, the reigning champions collapsed, allowing their opponents to secure an unexpected point: 2-2.
A lesson learned after a painful setback
This setback was a hard blow for the Club, especially as it illustrated a recurring problem. Under Ronny Deila last season, and again at the start of the season, Bruges often let points slip away after a solid start to the match. Facing Sint-Truiden, it was imperative to avoid such a scenario.
This was confirmed after the second goal, signed Christos Tzolis. While the Club largely dominated, some players immediately insisted on maintaining their concentration. Among them, Maxim De Cuyper particularly stood out for his role as leader.
Youth leads by example
During this sequence, De Cuyper, 23, urged his teammates, through words and gestures, to stay focused and continue their efforts. He did not hesitate to remind Tzolis and Ardon Jashari of their duties, showing an unexpected maturity for his age.
This leadership is all the more remarkable as De Cuyper is not among the most experienced players in the squad. However, this Red Devil took his responsibilities, embodying the values of Club Brugge. Romeo Vermant and Brandon Mechele, also trained at the Club, also played a key role in keeping the group disciplined.
The Club driven by its values
These three players from the training center illustrate the extent to which the Club’s standards and traditions can be a source of inspiration for the team. Such leaders could well be the key to Bruges regaining the consistency necessary to defend their title.
