Cercle Brugge will visit Het Kuipje on Sunday to take on Westerlo, with both teams aiming to make a positive start to their 2024-25 Belgian Pro League season.
The hosts placed bottom of the Europa Conference League playoff group last campaign, while the visitors secured a fourth spot in the Championship playoffs.
Match preview
Since being promoted into the top tier as champions of the Challenger Pro League in 2021-22, Westerlo have impressively qualified for the European playoffs in each of the following two seasons.
However, they have been unable to make an impact in either of those playoffs, finishing second from bottom and last in those two campaigns, but they will be aiming to get closer to their second-ever European qualification this season.
Former manager Rik De Mil left for Charleroi after just 13 games in charge last season, leaving Yoni Buyens as interim manager before Timmy Simons was eventually appointed on a permanent basis ahead of the new term.
Simons has led the side to a win, a draw, and a loss in his three friendly matches as manager, and he will be looking to start his first season on a positive note this Sunday.
As for the visitors, they were able to secure a place in the Championship playoffs for the first time since it was introduced in 2009 as they finished in fifth place, only ahead of Genk and Gent on goal difference.
Although they were unable to challenge eventual champions Club Brugge, finishing 13 points behind their rivals, they did finish in fourth place and earn a spot in the Europa League second qualifying round, just their second-ever qualification to a European tournament.
Cercle Brugge kick-started their competitive season earlier this week with a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Europa League second qualifying round matchup with Kilmarnock, leaving them in a strong position going into their home leg.
Miron Muslic will be now be looking ahead to their first league match against Westerlo, aiming to improve on last season's finish and close the gap on their city rivals.
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Team News
Westerlo have no injury concerns of note coming into this game, leaving Simons with a fully-fit squad to choose from in his first competitive match in charge of the side.
Last campaign's top scorer, Nicolas Madsen, is likely to start in the midfield, and could partner Dogucan Haspolat, who was particularly impressive in the Europa Conference League playoff group.
As for the visitors, they could be without Ibrahim Diakite and Nils De Wilde, who are both doubts for this game with muscle injuries.
Elsewhere, Muslic could opt to name a similar starting side to the one that recorded a draw in their away leg against Kilmarnock earlier this week, with goalscorer Kazeem Olaigbe expected to start.
Westerlo possible starting lineup:
Bolat; Bos, Neustadter, Vuskovic, Rommens; Madsen, Haspolat; Yow, Keybus, Sayyadmanesh; Daci
Cercle Brugge possible starting lineup:
Warleson; Ravych, Utkus, Daland, Nazinho; Francis, Van Der Bruggen; Ouattara, Somers, Olaigbe; Denkey
We say: Westerlo 1-2 Cercle Brugge
Cercle Brugge enjoyed a better last campaign than their hosts and had a positive start to this term with a draw against Kilmarnock, and we expect them to pick up the victory here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
