Our prediction for this Belgium Pro League match:
Club Brugge will look to melt Royale Union SG’s advantage in the standings when they take on Antwerp on Sunday. The reigning champions are eyeing their ninth consecutive league win, and the bookies see them as hot favourites to beat the Reds. Denis Odoi remains in the recovery room, but he should be the only absentee in the home team. Antwerp, on the other hand, finished the regular season in fourth position.
The visitors are eyeing a spot in the Champions League, but they should be happy with a place in the Conference League as well. Anyhow, the Reds should not be looking for points at Jan Breydel Stadion as Club Brugge look unstoppable at the moment. Antwerp midfielder Sander Coopman should recover in time to face the title holders, while Bjorn Engels is still struggling with a hamstring problem.
Highlighted Player (Simon Mignolet):
Simon Luc Hildebert Mignolet is a Belgium goalkeeper born on 6 March 1988 in Sint-Truiden. He began his career in a club from his hometown, making 100 league appearances for Sint-Truidense before moving to Sunderland in 2010.
Mignolet would go on to spent next four years at the Stadium of Light, making 90 Premier League appearances. As one of world’s most talented goalkeepers, the Belgium international signed for Liverpool in the summer of 2013, and he has since been the club’s first choice goalkeeper. Performing admirably most of the time, but also committing cheap mistakes at times, Mignolet has yet to win over the Liverpool fans, but remains highly regarded in his native country.
The talented shot-stopper has been a member of the Belgium national team since 2011, earning over 20 caps for the Red Devils, but he has been playing second fiddle to Chelsea star Thibaut Courtois over the last few years.
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.