Preview:Union SG vs Leuven - prediction, team news, lineups

Union SG will play their first home game of the Belgian Pro League season when they face Leuven at the Joseph Marien Stadium on Sunday.

The reigning champions began the defence of their title with a draw against Royal Antwerp, while the visitors picked up a point in their opener against Charleroi.

Match preview

Union SG have the honour of being the defending champions after ending their 90-year wait for the top-flight title last term.

As a result of their title success, Union SG kicked off the 2025-26 campaign with the chance to win the trophy against Club Brugge in the Belgian Super Cup.

Unfortunately for Sebastien Pocognoli, they missed the chance to win back-to-back Super Cups after falling to a 2-1 defeat against the Belgian Cup winners.

They then played out a draw in their opening league game against Royal Antwerp, with Raul Florucz netting a second-half equaliser to cancel out Vincent Janssen's opener.

After picking up a point on their travels, Union SG will return to the familiar surroundings of Joseph Marien Stadium, where they have won six of their last seven home league games (D1) since losing 1-0 to Mechelen in February.

The hosts will take confidence from the fact that they have won six of their previous seven matches against Leuven, including a narrow 1-0 victory in January's meeting.

Leuven finished the 2024-25 regular season in 11th position after winning eight, drawing 13 and losing nine of their 30 matches.

That return secured a place in the European playoff group, where they mustered just one win in 10 matches (D4, L5) as they finished bottom of the mini-standings.

After finishing the 2024-25 campaign in poor form, Leuven looked set to kick off the season with a victory after they established a two-goal lead in their home meeting with Charleroi.

Mathieu Maertens and Youssef Maziz grabbed a goal apiece to put their side in a strong position, only for Charleroi to score in the 90th and 94th minutes to deny David Hubert his first victory as Leuven boss.

Hubert, who replaced Chris Coleman in the summer, will hope to pick up his first win in Sunday's contest, although that may be easier said than done for a club that have gone six league games without a win since they beat Standard Liege in April.

The visitors are also looking to claim their first win over Union SG since claiming a 3-1 away victory in November 2021.

Union SG Belgian Pro League form:

Union SG form (all competitions):

L D

Leuven Belgian Pro League form:

Team News

Union SG can no longer call upon the services of striker Franjo Ivanovic, who recently completed a move to Portuguese giants Benfica.

Guillaume Francois is unlikely to feature in Sunday's fixture, having missed the first two competitive matches of the season through injury.

Florucz could be rewarded with a starting spot after he came off the bench to net the crucial equaliser in the league opener against Antwerp.

As for the visitors, they are expected to be without Manuel Osifo, Bryang Kayo and Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi due to injury.

Hubert may opt for consistency by selecting the same lineup that started the opening day draw against Charleroi.

Casper Terho will provide a useful option off the bench against his former club after joining Leuven on a permanent deal from Union SG earlier this summer.

Union SG possible starting lineup:

Chambaere; Mac Allister, Burgess, Leysen; Castro-Montes, Vanhoutte, Van De Perre, Niang; Ait El Hadj; David, Florucz

Leuven possible starting lineup:

Leysen; Gil, Ominami, Pletinckx, Akimoto; Verstraete, Schrijvers; Balikwisha, Maertens, Verlinden; Traore

We say: Union SG 3-1 Leuven

Union SG have won each of their last three home games against Leuven, and we think that the reigning champions will make full use of home advantage once again to claim their first victory of the 2025-26 Belgian Pro League season.

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