After a few weeks of waiting, it is finally time for football tomorrow! Club will practice for the first time this season at The NEST against Zulte Waregem. Want to be fully prepared? As usual, you can do that with the Club Facts!
THE OPPONENT
Zulte Waregem dropped out of the Jupiler Pro League at the end of April after 18 seasons. The club is ambitious to quickly return to the highest level and reinforced its ambition by signing strongmen Jelle Vossen and Ruud Vormer. In the new formula of the Challenger Pro League there are at least 2 promotions so we might see Essevee back in the top flight very soon.
However, the club did have to say goodbye to Alieu Fadera. The Gambian striker moved to vice-champion KRC Genk. Zulte Waregem also saw goalkeeper Sammy Bossut leave after 17 seasons. Finally, loanees Karol Fila and Oleksandr Drambaiev returned to their parent club.
Coach of Essevee is still Frederik D'Hollander. He took the helm from Mbaye Leye in March and continues in 1B.
For the third year in a row, the two clubs will play a friendly. In 2021, Essevee was the fourth opponent in the preparation. Club then beat Zulte Waregem 2-1 (Goals: Pérez (2x) | Vossen). In 2022, Club played several friendlies during the World Cup break. Essevee was the last of them. Club made it 3-0 (Goals: Meijer, Larin, Jutglà).
OUR CLUB
On Saturday our new coach, Norwegian Ronny Deila, will be coaching his first game for Blauw-Zwart. He came over from Standard Liege as head coach, along with his assistant Efraín Juárez (Mex). Coach Rik De Mil also stayed on board.
Club kicks off the new season with four new players. The Pole Michal Skoras and Spaniard Víctor Barberá will have to wait, but Brazilian striker Igor Thiago did start immediately in preparation. Maxim De Cuyper, out on loan the past two seasons, will rejoin Blauw-Zwart soon.
