The Blues face Genk on fixture eight of the Champions' Play-Offs. Read everything you need to know about the match here!
The match
This Sunday, Club Brugge will travel to KRC Genk’s Cegeka Arena for the away match on matchday eight of the Champions' Play-Offs. It will be the 90th encounter in the First Division between Club and Racing. The previous 44 away matches resulted in 14 wins, 9 draws, and 21 losses for Club.
The last 10 league encounters on Genk's home turf all ended with a winner. Each club won 5 of those matches.
In the last 22 away games in Genk, Club Brugge failed to score only twice. In their last three matches at Genk, FCB kept a clean sheet twice—matching the number of clean sheets they managed in the previous 25 away games combined.
Since the first Champions’ Play-Off match between Club Brugge and KRC Genk, the Limburg side has not won a single game (1 draw, 4 losses).
Club’s top scorer is Christos Tzolis. The Greek forward scored twice against KAA Gent and now scored 14 goals this season.
Tzolis has already scored 6 goals in this Champions’ Play-Offs—more than any other player in this final stage. He equaled the Club record set by Ivan Perišić in 2011, who also scored 6 times in this phase of the competition. In Play-Offs history, only four players have scored more: Mbaye Leye (Zulte Waregem, 2013, 8), Edmilson Junior (Standard, 2018, 7), Mbaye Leye (Zulte Waregem, 2016, 7), and Jelle Vossen (KRC Genk, 2012, 7).
Hans Vanaken remains the top assist provider in the Jupiler Pro League with 12 assists. This season, Club Brugge is averaging 2.16 goals per league game—the club’s highest in the past nine seasons.
After meeting twice in the regular league and twice in the Cup, this match marks the fifth encounter between the two teams this season—and now again in the Champions’ Play-Offs. Six duels in one season is the highest number ever between Club and KRC Genk.
The opponent
This Sunday, KRC Genk will host Club Brugge in a sold-out Cegeka Arena. After a strong regular season, the Limburg side finished top of the table with 68 points—9 more than Club Brugge (59).
During the regular season, Genk remained unbeaten at home (13 wins, 2 draws). However, in the Champions’ Play-Offs, KRC Genk lost its last two home matches—against Union and Antwerp—without scoring a goal. If they fail to score again on Sunday, it would be the first time since the 2013–2014 season that Genk has lost three consecutive home games without finding the net.
Tolu Arokodare is the joint top scorer in the Jupiler Pro League with 20 goals, alongside Adriano Bertaccini of local rivals STVV. Jarne Steuckers leads the team in assists with 7.
Coach Thorsten Fink will be without midfielder Ibrahima Sor Bangoura, who is suspended following a red card against Union.
Milestones
- Brandon Mechele could play his 490th official match for Club Brugge.
- It could also be the 80th appearance in the Blues' shirt for Joel Ordóñez, and his 50th league match for the Ecuadorian defender.
- Both Romeo Vermant and Ardon Jashari could make their 50th appearance for Club. Vermant could also reach his 50th First Division match (12 with Westerlo and 37 with Club).
- Nordin Jackers could make his 25th appearance in the goal for Club.
The Man in Black
The referee for Sunday’s match is Mr. Lawrence Visser. His assistants for the top clash are Mr. Rien Vanyzeere and Mr. Thibaud Nijssen. Mr. Nicolas Laforge will serve as the fourth official.
The Antwerp native will be supported by Mr. Wesli De Cremer as VAR, assisted by Ms. Ella De Vries and Mr. Jasper Vitse.
The 35-year-old referee will be officiating his 48th official match involving Club Brugge. He has officiated KRC Genk 40 times before, including 18 home games for Genk (8 wins, 5 draws, 5 losses). Mr. Visser has previously refereed 10 matches between these two sides.
Earlier this season, he took charge of the Belgian Cup semi-final between the two teams at Jan Breydel (2-1). He also officiated Club’s home match against Standard (1-2), and for Genk, the home match against STVV in the regular season (3-2), as well as their away match at Antwerp in the Play-Offs (1-1).