Aiming to keep their 100% League Phase record intact, Anderlecht will make the trip North-East to battle Rigas Futbola Skola of Latvia in the Europa League on Thursday night.
The Purple and Whites have recorded back-to-back domestic wins following their most recent continental clash, whilst RFS have secured Virsliga glory over the past fortnight.
Match preview
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For the first time in the club's history, Rigas Futbola Skola have achieved consecutive top-flight crowns in Latvia, with Thursday's hosts winning back-to-back games over the past fortnight to ensure that they will pip capital rivals Riga FC to the Virsliga title once again.
RFS required maximum points at the home of relegation-threatened Grobina on Sunday afternoon to secure a first-placed finish, with goals either side of the half-time whistle from Roberts Savalnieks and Cedric Kouadio sealing a comfortable victory in round 35 of the competition.
Due to their Virsliga success, RFS' spot in the qualifying rounds of next season's Champions League is secured, with the Latvians now focused on advancing into the knockout stages of the current Europa League following a winless start to the League Phase, collecting just a single point from three contests.
A trip to Deutsche Bank Park and 2022 winners Eintracht Frankfurt was on the agenda during gameweek three of this competition on October 24, when a second-half strike from substitute Hugo Larsson breached the net of Fabrice Ondoa and snatched maximum points for the Bundesliga high-flyers.
Despite a less-than-ideal start to their Europa League campaign, Viktors Morozs's side will take great confidence from their result in Riga against Turkish champions Galatasaray during gameweek two, when goals from talisman Janis Ikaunieks and Lasha Odisharia meant that the Latvians forced Okan Buruk's men to settle for a point.
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Alongside Italian giants Lazio and Premier League heavyweights Tottenham Hotspur, Anderlecht are one of three sides in this campaign's League Phase to still possess a 100% record in the League Phase, with Thursday's visitors to Riga collecting a maximum of nine points from their opening three matches.
The Purple and Whites made lightwork of Bulgarian outfit Ludogorets Razgrad in late October, when the first-half dismissal of Caio shaped the course of the contest in favour of the Belgian side, who secured three points on gameweek three courtesy of goals from Englishman Samuel Edozie and Anders Dreyer.
Since that Europa League success on October 24, Anderlecht have endured a mixed run of form on the domestic scene, losing 2-1 at the home of fellow title contenders Club Brugge on October 27 before booking a spot in the last 16 of the Belgian Cup following a four-goal smashing of Tubize.
Following difficult spells in Germany and Spain at Hoffenheim and Sevilla respectively, Kasper Dolberg appears to have found a home at Lotto Park, with the Denmark international scoring nine times in 18 appearances so far across 2024-25, including a brace during the 4-0 victory over Kortrijk on Sunday afternoon.
Hoping to follow somewhat in the footsteps of compatriot Vincent Kompany - who now occupies the coaching hotseat at Bayern Munich - managerial newcomer David Hubert is leading Anderlecht through the current campaign, with the 36-year-old losing just two of his 10 matches since taking the reins in September.
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Team News
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Suffering with a multitude of fitness issues over the past year, Alfusainey Jatta has failed to feature for RFS during 2024 due to a back injury.
The Latvians are also without the services of influential winger Emerson Deocleciano, who netted seven goals in the Virsliga before picking up a leg problem in September.
The hosts' options on the flanks are further reduced by the absence of 11-goal attacker Ismael Diomande, with the Ivorian sidelined until March because of a ligament injury.
After heavy involvement for Belgium at Euro 2024 over the summer, Jan Vertonghen has played just two competitive matches for Anderlecht so far this season following an Achilles tendon injury.
On loan from Champions League-competing Aston Villa, Leander Dendoncker will be unavailable for the Purple and Whites until after November's international break.
Rigas Futbola Skola possible starting lineup:
Ondoa; Savalnieks, Nije, Prenga, Lipuscek, Odisharia; Markhiev, Panic, Zelenkovs; Ikaunieks, Kouadio
Anderlecht possible starting lineup:
Coosemans; Sardella, Simic, Zanka, N'Diaye; Verschaeren, Rits; Dreyer, Stroeykens, Edozie; Dolberg
We say: Rigas Futbola Skola 0-1 Anderlecht
After earning a point off Galatasaray in Riga last month, RFS will be confident of repeating the trick against Belgian outfit Anderlecht on Thursday night.
That being said, the Purple and Whites should have too much quality for their Latvian hosts, so we are predicting a narrow victory for Hubert's men.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
