Club Brugge will kick off their title defence when they host Mechelen at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Friday evening in the opening fixture of the 2024–25 Belgian Pro League season.
Blauw-Zwart secured their 19th title last season after going unbeaten in the Championship play-off round, edging past regular season leaders Union SG by a single point.
Match preview
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Club Brugge finished the 2023-24 Belgian Pro League season in fourth place after 30 matches, although this was enough to qualify for the championship playoffs, which involved the top six teams.
It was during the playoffs that the Bruges side turned up the heat, winning seven of their 10 matches and drawing the remaining three, as regular season leaders Union SG faltered under the pressure.
Ronny Deila was appointed manager at the start of the 2023-24 campaign but was dismissed in March as the club felt they could achieve more, leading to Nicky Hayen taking temporary charge just before the championship round began.
This decision proved to be a masterstroke, as Hayen led the team to an unbeaten run that secured the title – their sixth in the last nine years and fourth in the last five.
However, pre-season has not been entirely smooth sailing for Blauw-Zwart, as they have only managed one victory – against Norwich – and drew with Knokke, PSV, and Dender, while also suffering a 2-1 defeat to Union SG in the Belgian Super Cup last Saturday.
Hayen will be hoping his side can learn from the Super Cup defeat and start the league season strongly, especially as they face a team that held them to draws in both meetings last season.
Mechelen boast four league titles, the last coming in 1988-89, while they were also the last Belgian side to win a European trophy, claiming the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1988.
However, since that era, De Kakkers have struggled for consistency, suffering multiple relegations and a season-long ban from European football and the Belgian Cup due to a match-fixing scandal in the late 2010s.
The Antwerp club reached the Conference League playoff round last season but finished one place and nine points behind Gent, who ultimately secured the European spot.
Current manager Besnik Hasi arrived in November 2023 when the club was in the relegation playoff zone (14th place), and he did a commendable job, guiding them to eighth place by the end of the season, which granted them entry into the European playoffs.
Pre-season preparations have shown promise with wins over Oudenaarde, Beerschot and Heist, a draw with Lille, and a defeat in their most recent friendly against Conference League champions, Olympiacos.
While a victory would be ideal for Mechelen to kick off the new campaign, it is a tough ask considering their last win at Club Brugge was over a decade ago, in 2012.
Team News
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Club Brugge's left-back Bjorn Meijer had a knee surgery in May and is still recovering, making him unavailable for this clash.
Teenage right-back Kyriani Sabbe is also expected to miss the start of the season with a muscle injury he picked up in June, while midfielder Igor Thiago is out for a few weeks with a knee injury.
Mechelen's centre-back Toon Raemaekers has been out with a cruciate ligament injury since October and is yet to fully recover.
Winger Bill Antonio is also sidelined with a cruciate ligament tear, and will not be a part of the team for the opening fixture.
Club Brugge possible starting lineup:
Mignolet; Romero, Ordonez, Mechele, De Cuyper; Nielsen, Vetlesen; Olsen, Vanaken, Onyedika; Nilsson
Mechelen possible starting lineup:
Thoelen; Belghali, Konate, Marsa, Foulon; Schoofs, Mrabti; Pflucke, Bafdili, Storm; Lauberdach
We say: Club Brugge 2-0 Mechelen
Club Brugge may have been held to draws in both encounters with Mechelen last season, but the home side are a different proposition now, and their title ambitions, coupled with the backing of the home crowd, will give them a significant advantage for this clash.
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