After two home games against Union and KV Mechelen, Club Brugge travels for their first away game this season. At Sclessin, they will be looking for their first win of the season. The previous match ended, disappointingly for Club, in a 1-1 draw against KV Mechelen.
THE MATCH
The game against the Rouches marks the 191st confrontation between Standard and Club Brugge in the highest division of Belgian football. In the previous 95 encounters in Liege, Club recorded 25 wins, 21 draws and 49 defeats. However, the last victory dates back to January 22, 2017, when Blauw-Zwart won 0-3.
Last season, Club failed to win in Liege. Despite a late equalizer from Andreas Skov Olsen, Standard eventually kept all three points home with a 90-minute strike from Isaac Price. At home Thiago and Zinckernagel made sure of the win.
Joaquin Seys experienced a dream debut in the Jupiler Pro League by scoring in the previous league game against Mechelen. In our current squad, only Antonio Nusa (17 years, 0 months, 21 days), Jorne Spileers (18 years, 6 months, 20 days) and Kyriani Sabbe (19 years, 3 months, 2 days) were younger than 19-year-old Seys when they scored their first goal for Club. This makes Seys the third youngest player ever to score the opening goal of the season, after Atty Affo (Charleroi, 1990) and Romelu Lukaku (RSCA, 2011).
THE OPPONENT
Standard has played continuously in the first division since 1921, a record in Belgian football. The team from Liege is led by Ivan Leko, a familiar name to Club Brugge fans. Leko was coach of Blauw-Zwart between 2017 and 2019, leading the team to a national title and a Super Cup. However, this is his first meeting with Club as coach of Standard after taking over from Carl Hoefkens in early 2024.
Standard has seen some key players leave this summer, such as Merveille Bokadi and Kamal Sowah, but has also attracted reinforcements such as defender Bosko Sutalo and striker Grejohn Kyei. Despite the changes in selection, Standard remains a strong opponent. Still, the Rouches could not start the season with a win, after the goalless draw at Genk.
For Sunday night, ex-Club player Boli Bolingoli, Souleymane Doumbia and Hakim Sahabo are absent due to injuries.
MILESTONES
- Hugo Siquet, who transferred from SC Freiburg in the summer, can play his 100th game in his professional career against his former club Standard. Siquet previously played 43 games for Standard.
- Michal Skoras and Philip Zinckernagel can play their 30th league game for Club Brugge.
- For Joel Ordóñez, it could be his 20th league game at Club.
REFEREE
The match between Standard de Liège and Club Brugge will be officiated by Lawrence Visser. He will be assisted by linesmen Rien Vanyzere and Thibaud Nijssen, while Nathan Verboomen will fill the role of fourth official. The VAR for the match is Jasper Vergoote.
Visser is no stranger to Club Brugge; this will be the 43rd time he leads a Blauw-Zwart match. Of the 25 away games under his guidance, Club managed to win 10, draw 11 and lose four. Visser also has experience in whistling duels between Club and Standard; he previously conducted three encounters between the two teams, the most recent being Club's 2-0 victory in March 2023.