Our prediction for this Belgium Pro League match:
Antwerp
Match Time & Date:
17/12/2023
12:30 PM
Prediction: 1-1
Anderlecht
There will be fireworks when Antwerp and Anderlecht go head to head at Bosuilstadion in an eagerly-awaited Jupiler League derby. Antwerp aim to build on back-to-back wins over Leuven and Cercle Brugge, but Sunday’s clash will be anything but a walk in the park for the hosts. The bad news for the hosts is that important winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha has joined the likes of Engels, Ondrejka, Valencia, and Verhulst in the recovery room. Both Muja and Ekkelenkamp are back from the Champions League bans.
The capital club, on the other hand, aim to melt St. Gilloise’s advantage in the standings and given the number of absentees in the home team, we predict that the visitors are going to grab something from the match. There are no fresh injury concerns in the away team. The opposition back-line should have Anders Dreyer at bay as the Denmark forward has found his goal-scoring touch of late.
Highlighted Player (Jan Vertonghen):
After spending four years at Ajax, in 2006 Jan Vertonghen signed a loan deal with RKC Waalwijk. The left-footed defender spent one season at Mandemakers Stadion and he returned to Ajax for the 2007/2008 season. The highly rated footballer, who is capable of playing as both centre back and left back, signed a deal with Tottenham Hotspur on 8 July, 2012 and he has been playing for the Premier League outfit ever since.
The Belgian defender scored four goals for the Spurs in the 2012/2013 Premier League season and he made 34 league appearances for the White Hart Lane outfit back then. In the 2015/2016 season Jan Vertonghen and his teammates were producing brilliant displays with Tottenham, but the Spurs eventually finished the campaign in third place in the standings.
Speaking of his international career, Vertonghen made it to both World Cup (2014) and Euro (2016) quarter-finals with the Belgian national team. Jan was born on 24 April, 1987 and his shirt number is 5.
Highlighted Team (Antwerp):
Founded back in 1880, Antwerp is one of the oldest clubs in Belgium. The Great Old welcome their rivals at Bosuilstadion, the venue with the capacity of 16,144 people. Antwerp are well known for their red home kits, with the team wearing white shirts and white jerseys when playing on the travels.
Over the years Antwerp have been trying to close the gap between Belgian giants Anderlecht and Club Brugge, but they have yet to win the title in the recent history. The Great Old clinched their first domestic trophy back in 1929, with the team repeating the success two years later. The third and the fourth titles came in 1944 and 1957 respectively.
Beerschot A.C. are considered the club’s fiercest rivals, but they have a rivalry with Club Brugge as well. The club chiefs had a long-term partnership with famous English club Manchester United in the past, with Antwerp taking young footballers on loan to Old Trafford.
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Leganes
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Lazio 
Bologna 
