Club Brugge vs Mechelen Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 Belgian Pro League
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THE FACTS
When is Club Brugge vs Mechelen on and what time does it start? Club Brugge vs Mechelen will take place on Sunday 30th July, 2023 – 17:30 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Club Brugge vs Mechelen? Visit each team’s official website for the latest ticket information
Where can I watch Club Brugge vs Mechelen in the UK? Club Brugge vs Mechelen will not be televised live and cannot be streamed in the UK
THE LOWDOWN
CLUB BRUGGE
It was a shocker of a season last year for Club Brugge – and yet, it wasn’t that bad. As defending champions, they would have expected more but, instead, they scraped into the top four in the final few weeks of the season. Under Carl Hoefkens they reached the knockouts of the UEFA Champions League in bizarre fashion before he was sacked and then things worsened under Scott Parker. They begin this season with Ronny Deila in charge, who left Club Brugge’s arch-rivals Standard Liege towards the end of last season.
MECHELEN
Mechelen were one of the seven teams to finish between the top eight and the European playoff spots and the bottom three relegation places. Their 2022/23 campaign was quite an entertaining one, though, despite that mid-table mediocrity. In their 34 matches last season, there was a combined total of 112 goals. They remain under the management of former Burnley midfielder, Steven Defour, who was promoted from assistant in October 2022.
THE PREDICTED LINE-UPS
CLUB BRUGGE
Throughout his career, which has included spells with Celtic and New York City, Ronny Deila has preferred the 4-3-3 system, which is not how Club Brugge have played in recent seasons. They are without Chemsdine Talbi and Josef Bursik due to injury.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Mignolet; Odoi, Mechele, Boyata, Meijer; Vanaken, Onyedika, Vetlesen; Skov Olsen, Jutgla, Buchanan
UNAVAILABLE: Bursik (Injury), Talbi (Injury)
QUESTIONABLE:
MECHELEN
Steven Defour has preferred the 4-2-3-1 system in charge of Mechelen. The visitors are missing a few players, such as Rafik Belghali, Sandy Walsh and Bas van den Eynden due to injury, whilst Geoffrey Hairemans is suffering from tonsilitis.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Coucke; Bates, Van Hoorenbeeck, Vanlerberghe, Bolingoli; Konate, Schoofs; Ngoy, Mrabti, Storm; Malede
UNAVAILABLE: Belghali (Injured), Walsh (Injured), Van Den Eynden (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Hairemans (Illness)
THE PREDICTION
Club Brugge do come into this on the back of a comfortable and impressive 3-0 defeat of Aarhus in the first-leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round tie during the week. The home team can rest and rotate their squad in the second-leg, given their lead, so will be at full strength for this test against a Mechelen side that are expected to struggle this season. A comfortable home win is the expected outcome of this one.
TIP: CLUB BRUGGE TO WIN
