Cercle Brugge – KVC Westerlo

Our Kemphanen conclude the fourth match day with a trip to the green and black side of Bruges. We will not be back in action for another league match until 13 days later, as next week’s match has been postponed to a later date to give Club Brugge the chance to advance to the group stage of the Champions League.

KVC Westerlo

Good deals were made again last week at the Kuipje. Japanese player Seiji Kimura, a central defender from FC Tokyo, moved to our Kempen region for four seasons. This gave coach Charai another player, but there was also another outgoing transfer: striker Matija Frigan will continue his career in Italy, where he will strengthen the core of Parma.

Everyone is available for the trip to Cercle Brugge. It is clear that the game changers from the last three league matches are eager to get into the starting line-up. Last Sunday, a friendly match was scheduled (against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Fahya, final score 2-1) to give the boys with fewer playing minutes a chance to show themselves and win the favour of the coaching staff. 

For the 43rd time, we are heading to the Jan Breydel Stadium, having previously played Cercle 20 times and Club 22 times. The statistics speak for themselves when I say that we only left with a win four times and with one point eight times. Since our return to the top division in 2022, our record against them has been more positive. In eight matches between us, we won four times and drew once.

Cercle Brugge

After three games without a win (Dender 0-0) – Anderlecht (0-2) and Club Brugge (2-0), they are eager to get their first three points of the season in Bruges, especially as it was 50 years ago to the day that they played their first game at the Jan Breydel Stadium and they want to celebrate.

Defender Emmanuel Kakou, who was sent off in last week’s derby against Club Brugge, will be able to play after all, as the club appealed his suspension and he is now eligible to play. Right-back Diakité and striker Minda had to leave the field early last week with injuries, but they too seem to be ready to play.

The new coach, Onur Cinel, was assistant coach at RB Salzburg last season. He has both German and Turkish nationality. This season, he has gained two important reinforcements in midfield, namely Pieter Gerkens from AA Gent and Frenchman Edan Diop from sister club Monaco, where he played 20 times. This week, additional offensive reinforcement arrived: Austrian Oluwaseun Adewumi was acquired from Burnley. Last season, he played in the Scottish league for Dundee FC, where he scored five goals and provided five assists.

It should be noted that despite Cercle having 32 shots on goal in three games, not a single ball has found the back of the net yet. (Cf. Westerlo scored five times from 41 attempts).

Referee

The 33-year-old Anthony Letellier was assigned this match by the football association. Last week, he refereed Eupen vs Liège in the Challenger Pro League, and this will be his debut in a league match in the Jupiler Pro League, after refereeing two matches in the Play Offs last season.

Text and statistics: Peter Boons