Preview: Royal Antwerp vs Leuven - prediction, team news, lineups

Royal Antwerp and Leuven are back in Jupiler Pro League action when they go head-to-head in Sunday's gameweek three meeting at the Bosuilstadion.

The home side had to settle for a share of the spoils in their last outing, while the away team were on the receiving end of a 5-0 hammering.

Match preview

Winning just one of their final five league matches of the 2024-25 season, Royal Antwerp saw their European ambition vanish into thin air, ending what looked to be a promising campaign at some stage on a disappointing note.

Stef Wils's men began the new season with a 1-1 stalemate against defending champions Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and played out a second consecutive share of the spoils in Sunday's draw against Genk.

The Great Old will be hoping that the third time is the charm in their quest for a first league win of the season, and their record against this weekend's opponents makes for good reading, with only one defeat from 10 previous encounters.

Bringing in seven new players already, Antwerp have been very active in the transfer market, although it is Vincent Janssen that has continued to deliver the goods so far with two goals in as many matches.

Janssen was his side's second top scorer last season, and following the departure of Tjaronn Chery, who led the way with 14 goals, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur man will need to fire on all cylinders for Sunday's hosts if he is to help secure a return to the continental scene.

Leuven ended last season on a run of four straight defeats, and any concerns about the new campaign look to have been quelled when they went two goals up in their curtain raiser against Charleroi with only 11 minutes left to play.

However, David Hubert saw his first official assignment end in disappointment as his side inexplicably conceded in the 90th and 94th minutes to drop points.

Still reeling from their late capitulation in matchday one, OHL found themselves two down inside the opening four minutes in their sophomore assignment against Union SG, who went on to claim a resounding 5-0 win.

That was the second time that Leuven had conceded five goals in a game since the turn of the year after March's annihilation at the hands of Dender, and that level of defensive porosity needs urgent addressing.

Ahead of another outing away from home, where they have won just one of 12 competitive games in 2025, Sunday's visitors will be eager to kickstart their league journey at the third time of asking.

Royal Antwerp Belgian Pro League form:

Leuven Belgian Pro League form: