Preview: Dender vs Club Brugge - prediction, team news, lineups

Competing in the Jupiler Pro League for the second consecutive season since their promotion in the 2023-24 season, Dender will get the new campaign underway when they host Cercle Brugge at the Dender Football Complex on Saturday.

 

Last term, the hosts finished 12th in the regular season, one place above the visiting side, while the away side escaped the drop by emerging winners of the relegation playoff.

 

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Match preview

Dender managed to maintain their top-division status after they finished 12th in the regular season in the last campaign.

At the start of the previous season, the Denderleeuw-based side were considered relegation candidates, but they held their own throughout the season with eight wins, eight draws and 14 losses to keep them afloat.

Looking to compete in the top flight in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2008-09 campaign, Vincent Euvrard, who was appointed in May, will be the man to lead their onslaught in the new campaign.

However, if the early indicators are anything to go by, the hosts could be in for a tough start, as the results of their pre-season games suggest inconsistency with three losses and two wins in their last five matches.

That said, the hosts were unbeaten in their first four league fixtures last season, having drawn two and recorded two victories, with seven goals scored in that time.

Additionally, the home side are unbeaten in five fixtures in front of their fans, winning three, and they have only lost one of the last eight encounters, while keeping three clean sheets on their turf.

Meanwhile, Cercle Brugge will be looking to right the wrongs from last season, after what was an underwhelming campaign.

Having finished 13th in the regular season standings, they escaped relegation after getting past Patro Eisden in the final of the promotion/relegation playoff to preserve their elite status.

As a result of their underwhelming performance last season, the 40-year-old German coach Onur Cinel, was appointed to replace fellow German Bernd Storck ahead of the new season.

However, the new man at the helm has his work cut out, as his side are winless since their 8-2 aggregate victory in the play-off, having lost three warm-up games, with five goals conceded and only one scored in that period.

Worse still, the away record of the visiting side is nothing to write home about, as they are without a victory in seven fixtures, while shipping 16 goals in that period.

Nevertheless, the visitors can draw confidence from their 1-0 win over Saturday’s opponents the last time they clashed in January

Dender Belgian Pro League form:

Dender form (all competitions):

Club Brugge Belgian Pro League form:

Club Brugge form (all competitions):

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Team News

Talented youngster Noah Mbamba, who is on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, is out with a muscle injury, meaning he will play no part in Saturday’s clash.

Similarly, Joedrick Pupe is also dealing with a muscle problem of his own, and he is not expected to be involved over the weekend.

27-year-old defender Ragnar Oratmangoen is currently indisposed, and as such, he will not be in Euvrard’s plan for the weekend.

Although Abdoul Kader Ouattara is out with a broken leg, the visiting side has an almost full squad at their disposal.

New signing Lawrence Agyekum, who joined from RB Salzburg, could be handed his debut at some point in the match on Saturday.

Dender possible starting lineup:

Dietsch; Ruyssen, Ferraro, Hrncar; Rodes; Berte, Viltard, Kvet, Goncalves; Hens, Scheidler

Club Brugge possible starting lineup:

Warleson; Bayo, Nunes,  Francis, Jurado; Kakou, Magnee, Martle, Mpanzu; Ngoura, Utkus

 

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We say: Dender 1-1 Club Brugge

 

Recent results from both sides have been underwhelming, and this will be the opener for two sides that have struggled in pre-season.

The hosts have decent home form, while the visitors have struggled on the road. With not much to separate both sides, we predict a 1-1 outcome.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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