Club Brugge - Zulte Waregem: The Club Facts

Tonight the ^1/8th final of the Croky Cup is on the program! In it, Club takes on Zulte Waregem. Get fully prepared for the match with the Club Facts.

The Match

This is already the ^4th time that Club and Essevee meet in a cup campaign. In the previous 3 confrontations, Zulte Waregem drew 1 time and 2 times Club went through. The last time the teams faced each other in the cup was in the semifinals in 2019-20. After a 1-1 in the outward match, Blauw-Zwart won 1-2 in the return match after goals from Mechele and De Ketelaere.

Since the cup reform in 1963, Club has played in the ^1/8th final of the cup 46 times before. Last season, Blauw-Zwart fell in this round against STVV (1-4).

This season FCB qualified for this stage by eliminating in the ^1/16th final K. Beerschot. VA. Club won 0-6 at the Kiel, making it also the biggest away win in history for Club in the cup along with a game in the ^1/32nd in 1982 against FC Testelt (also 0-6).

With 11 final wins, Club Brugge is the record cup winner. The last time it won the cup dates back to 2015. Then it won 2-1 against Anderlecht.

If Vanaken can score, it will be his ^10thgoal in the Croky Cup for Club Brugge. He also already handed out 9 assists in the cup for Blauw-Zwart. If Mignolet manages to keep the zero for 28 minutes against Zulte Waregem, he has not been passed for 500 minutes at Club. Only 6 times could Club achieve a longer series of clean sheets in official duels (longest series 10 in a row between March and May 1990).

The opponent

Last season, Zulte Waregem dropped out of the Jupiler Pro League after 23 consecutive seasons. In the current season of the Challenger Pro League, Essevee is well placed to make a quick return to the top level. Just before halfway, the club is^2ndin the standings with 3 points ahead of KMSK Deinze.

Zulte Waregem began the season with coach Frederik D'Hollander, who had taken over from Mbaye Leye in March. When Essevee lost by 2 points after only 4 playing days, D'Hollander was fired. Vincent Euvrard, who was sacked from RWDM earlier this season before the start of the Jupiler Pro League, took over the helm.

Tonight, several former Club Brugge players return to Jan Breydel. Ex-captain Ruud Vormer, but also Jelle Vossen, Zinho Gano, Robbe Decostere, Lukas Willen and Sef Van Damme are players with a past with FCB.

Essevee already played one more round than Club in the cup. In the ^6th preliminary round it won 4-1 against FC Sint-Lenaarts (^3rdnational B) and in the ^1/16th final it eliminated Cercle Brugge after a series of penalties (3-4 for Zulte).

Zulte Waregem has already played the cup final 3 times in its history. 2 times it then also won the cup and 1 time it went down in the final (against the Lokeren of Hans Vanaken and Denis Odoi).

At Essevee, Zinho Gano is the team's top shooter with 8 goals. Newcomer Abdoulaye Troaré is the assist king with 5.

Milestones

• If Joel Ordóñez plays, it will be his 10th match for Club.
• Simon Mignolet can play his 20th match in the Belgian Cup. He appeared 5 times for STVV and 14 times for Club. The Limburger can also finish his 220th match for Club.
  
• For Casper Nielsen, it could be his 10th match in the Croky Cup. He played 7 cup matches with Union and 2 with Club.

The referee

Lothar D'Hondt is the referee and will be assisted by Romain Devillers and Nico Claes (linesmen). The fourth official is Matonga Simonini. There is no VAR in this round.

Lothar D'Hondt will be whistling an official Club Brugge match for the ^18thtime. The previous 7 home matches under his guidance ended in 3 wins, 2 draws and 2 defeats. Of Essevee, he led 12 previous matches, 9 of which were on the move. Those ended in 5 wins, 1 draw and 3 defeats.

D'Hondt never before whistled a game between FCB and Essevee.