These two sides finished 1st and 2nd in last campaign’s regular season standings and just 2 points separates them in 2nd and 4th in this year’s Jupiler Pro League rankings. The Champions Club Brugge are slightly better off having only lost once, but Antwerp’s main man Michael Frey leads the goalscoring charts with 12 in 11 games.
Although this looks a close match-up on paper, the football odds at Bet777.be suggest Club Brugge are favourites. You can back the Champions to take the points on the road at 1.95, or you can back the underdogs Antwerp at 3.60. Odds of a draw are currently at 4.00, which provides good value considering the talent on display across both teams.
We’ve previewed how things might play out in this clash towards the top of the Jupiler Pro League rankings. Place your football bets with Bet777.be – the best place for online bets and live betting on the Pro League.
Michael Frey to Run Riot?
Both to score, no draw – 2.15
Antwerp have only failed to score on one occasion in the league this season and in 4 of their last 5 games, both sides have found the net and a team has left with 3 points. Their Swiss forward has been the main talking point and is on track to eclipse his most productive senior campaign at the age of 27. Frey has been on the scoresheet in 8 out of Antwerp’s 11 games and is seemingly inevitable to score at this point.
Club Brugge’s Stanley Nsoki and Jack Hendry will have their work cut out to nullify the threat of the league’s top goalscorer, but in the absence of Eder Balanta due to injury, Antwerp’s creative forces Manuel Benson and Viktor Fischer may find themselves with enough space to influence the game.
They will also face their own defensive issues and will need to set up their preferred 4-2-3-1 to effectively deal with the late attacking runs of Brugge’s dynamic midfield. Keeping the Champions quiet at the top of the pitch could end up being the deciding factor and Frey will just need to do what he does best to give Antwerp a chance of securing all 3 points.
Can Anyone Stop Club Brugge’s Midfield?
Club Brugge win 1-2, 1-3, 1-4 – 4.75
On paper, it looks almost certain that both teams will find their way onto the scoresheet. Brugge’s biggest concern will be how they deal with Frey, and it will be up to the likes of Clinton Mata and Eduard Sobol to stop the service coming in to the middle from Antwerp’s wing-play.
The Champions will however be confident in their own ability to cause the home side problems at the back. Not only are Noa Lang, Charles de Ketelaere and Kamal Sowah one of the most exciting attacking trios in Europe, but a lot of Brugge’s forward play is instigated by their midfielders. Hans Vanaken, Ruud Vormer and Mats Rits have 8 goals and 4 assists between them from the middle of the park. That effectively means that one of their central midfielders has had a direct contribution to more than half of Brugge’s goal this season – an impressive stat.
Not many teams have managed to successfully deal with the interchanging play of Brugge’s front-line and the late arrival in the box of their midfielders – we’re not sure Antwerp will either. Although a draw looks like a good bet, we think Club Brugge are right to be favourites and could see the Champions snatching all 3 points on the road to keep their place at the top of the Jupiler Pro League rankings.
