The clash between Anderlecht and Club Brugge is scheduled for Sunday evening at 6:30 PM in the Lotto Park. With the current standings in the Jupiler Pro League, in which Club is second and Anderlecht third, it promises to be a crucial match.
With an away win, Club Brugge can open an eleven-point gap with the Purple & White. Anderlecht is counting on a new turf to thwart those ambitions.
Both teams are dealing with absentees. Anderlecht has to do without Vertonghen, Stroeykens and Ashimeru, while wing defenders N’Diaye and Augustinsson are also missing. This will probably shift Leander Dendoncker to defense again.
Joaquin Seys is missing at Club Brugge, but Joël Ordoñez returns to the selection. Club coach Nicky Hayen is aiming for a sixteenth unbeaten match and emphasizes the importance of team discipline.
The rivalry between Anderlecht and Club Brugge is legendary, but according to former players Jan Ceulemans and Hugo Broos, it has lost some luster in recent years. “Anderlecht is no longer the team it once was,” says Broos HLNalthough he sees that the Purple & White is gradually getting back to standard.
However, Ceulemans expects that Club, with more talent and experience, will have the upper hand. “They are favourites, although it remains good that Anderlecht is continuing to perform better.”
The pressure is great for Anderlecht. A defeat would not only widen the gap with Club Brugge, but also jeopardize the ambitions of a strong final round. Club Brugge, on the other hand, wants to continue its impressive run and hopes that players like Skov Olsen and Nilsson will reach their best level again. One thing is certain: it will become clear on Sunday evening whether Anderlecht can keep up or whether Club Brugge will further strengthen its status as title favorite.
