#OltiedBluvnGoan: let's recap these amazing play-offs

Unbowed these Champions' Play-Offs: Club only managed that once before in 2022. This season, the PO's unbeaten run looks even more impressive. Time for a comprehensive overview!

1. 1/04: Cercle 1 - 1 Club (1/3)

A city derby always calls for a five star performance. Cercle, like Club, wanted to start these play-offs well, and embarass Blauw-Zwart along the way. Top scorer Kévin Denkey opened the score line for Cercle, but in a dominant second half, Skov Olsen's drive past the goalkeeper earned Blauw-Zwart a much deserved point.

A one point reward, not what Club merited, even if the second half gave the fans all hope for the following fixtures.

Speeldag 1: Cercle Brugge - Club Brugge: 1 - 1 (1/3)

Met een Stadsderby moest Club meteen vol aan de bak. Cercle wilde net als Club goed starten aan de play-offs en zo Blauw-Zwart meteen een hak zetten. Topschutter Kévin Denkey bracht de Vereniging ook op voorsprong, maar in een dominante tweede helft toonde Club wat het in zijn mars had. Skov Olsen zorgde in het slot voor een oververdiende gelijkmaker.

Vooral bij Club was de teleurstelling groot na ‘maar’ een puntje, al gaf de tweede helft hoop voor iedereen die Blauw-Zwart een warm hart toedraagt.

2. 7/04: Club 3 - 1 Anderlecht (4/6)

7 April had been highlighted in many a fan's diary. In a home clash with RSC Anderlecht, Club bring the gap back to five points. The stakes were high, which was clear from the word Go. In the absence of captain Hans Vanaken, Brandon Mechele wore the captain's armband. As befits a true captain, he immediately took his team by the hand: 1-0 just three minutes into the game!

What followed was a brilliant performance with forward pressure, attacking drive and beautiful combination play. Club built upon the second half against Cercle and the stadium was brimming with excitement and spirit. In the second half, Onyedika made it 2-0 and 3-0 before the visitors pulled one back in the dying seconds. The goal proved nothing more than a footnote.

3. 14/04: Club 3 - 0 Antwerp (7/9)

The big names kept paying Jan Breydel a visit in April, as one week later Antwerp made its way to the Club grounds. That same evening Anderlecht - Union was on the menu, so a good result for Club could further pave the way. 

In the first half, - again - Raphael Onyedika put Club ahead after a strong first part of the game. In the second half, Club showed its eagerness to rise in the table, with Skóraś and Zinckernagel taking care of the 3-0 final score. With Union dropping the points later that night, Club inched closer and closer.

4. 21/04: Union 1 - 2 Club (10/12)

With Union conceding defeat against Anderlecht, there was suddenly added pressure for the match against Club. Blauw-Zwart could leapfrog Union into second place after it had been eight points behind at the start of the Play-Offs.

Union were dogged for misfortune at that time, which became painfully clear again as Vetlesen capitalized on a Moris mistake to take the lead. Meijer doubled Club's lead on a corner kick, before Puertas halved the deficit again. But nothing more was in it for the frustrated hosts. Four games into the Play-Offs and Club was now in second place, with a double confrontation with Genk lined up. Tough.

5. 24/04: Club 4 - 0 Genk (13/15)

But more than once Olympia proved its role. In a swirling Fort Jan Breydel, Jutglà fired in to give Club an early lead after which Club dominated from start to finish. Skóraś, Thiago and De Cuyper widened the gap to 4-0 in the second half. Halfway through the playoffs, Club dealt a solid blow to the Limburg outfit, and Genk's title aspirations were surely over and done with. Union and Anderlecht were warned as well: the title fight would be between three instead of two teams.

" All the pieces of the puzzle came together, I want to give compliments to the group, because they work very hard for each other every day. " - Nicky Hayen

Nicky Hayen thus experienced an excellent start as Ronny Deila's replacement. He realizes like no other the role of the blue and black legion: "We grabbed Genk by the scruff of the neck. That early goal lit the fuse and then the whole stadium joined in," said the coach afterwards," All the pieces of the puzzle came together, I want to give the group compliments, because they work very hard for each other every day."

A satisfied coach, a team with confidence and fans with a dream: things went well for the Club family in the playoffs. 'Onto the next final' became the mantra.

6. 28/04: Genk 0 - 3 Club (16/18)

The game now followed up quickly, as four days later Blauw-Zwart headed to Limburg for the second game in a week against Genk. Even if the hosts started the match eagerly, a mature Club was well-organized and chose the right moments to hit them on the break. Kyriani Sabbe, an academy graduate, and one of the sensations these Champions' Play-Offs, managed his first for Club by surprising everything and everyone with his cross that fell in after a hefty misunderstanding in the Genk defense.

Club with the lead again and Club managed to score two more in the second half. Hugo Vetlesen and Igor Thiago put the game to bed in another blistering performance.

7. 5/05: Antwerp 1 - 2 Club (19/21)

During the week Club travelled to Firenze for the away match against Fiorentina. The Italians won at home despite a courageous performance by Blauw-Zwart. Against Antwerp, however, FCB immediately flushed away the disappointment.

Vanaken's statistics may not stand out these Play-Offs, but appearances can be deceiving. Against Antwerp, the captain took control of the game for the umpteenth time and despite a difficult game against a motivated Antwerp, Club was able to win again, goals courtesy of De Cuyper and Skov Olsen.

A few days later, Club's European run ended in the semi-finals. Fiorentina needed only a draw to reach the Conference League final. "The elimination is not a mental blow. If you see the way the fans backed us up after the whistle, it will only give the players motivation for the remainder of these Play-Offs," Hayen said. The team wanted to get their backs straight at home, Jan Breydel already leading by example.

8. 13/05: Club 2 - 2 Union (20/24)

On match day 8 it was once again up to Jan Breydel to give its best. In a direct duel against Union, Club could strike an important blow. But the visitors from Brussels also came in fine form, having won their first prize in 89 years (Union won the Belgian Cup against Antwerp on May 9).

A tricky mission made even more difficult by Henok Teklab as his shot from outside the box went in beautifully. #BluvnGoan was more than ever the mindset. A supersub Skov Olsen took Club by the hand with two clever goals, but Machida brought USG alongside just before time. 2-2 is a fair result. On to the next match, on to Anderlecht.

9. 19/05: Anderlecht 0 - 1 Club (23/27)

Anderlecht and Club joined each other at the top of the table 46 points, Union lurking with 43 points. A tie would mean Club would have to put its title dreams to rest, due to a lower ranking after the regular competition. So only a win at RSCA could put Club in pole position heading into the final matchday.

In what was announced days in advance as a charged game, Hayen's troops did what it has been doing for weeks. Playing football effectively and with calmness. Exponent of that style of play: Hans Vanaken. The waves of attack almost all passed through the two-time Golden Shoe winner.

But with Maxim De Cuyper, Club has another weapon up its sleeve. Against RSCA, he registered his tenth assist, allowing Odoi to cheer. Afterwards, Club was closer to scoring a second than Anderlecht to equalizing. The victory was secured, and a bonus of 2.5 points with one more game to go. The city derby on the final day would determine everything.

10. 26/05: Club 0 - 0 Cercle (24/30)

Cercle Brugge would not give up easily in the derby, but in a churning stadium Club immediately took the initiative. Green & Black came well-organized and no big chances followed. It remained 0-0, but Club had to steer clear from Cercle's breaks. Disaster seemed to strike very late in the game, as Lopes Da Silva made it 0-1 from a free-kick, but due to prior offside VAR intervened and the goal was chalked off.

The score remaining unchanged, Club grabbed 24/30, allowing them to lift another trophy as Champions of Belgium for the 19th time! In the Champions' Play-Offs it left everyone behind with a solid 24 points out of a maximum of 30. Union and Anderlecht follow with 14, Genk and Cercle 13 and Antwerp 6.