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Club - Genk: the Club Facts

Jupiler Pro League

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Playday 4 has barely finished, or there is already playday 5. Tonight the duel between the two teams in form is scheduled at Jan Breydel. Find out all about Club - Genk with the Club Facts!

The Match

Wednesday evening marks the final matchday of the first round of the Champions' Play-Offs. A duel between the only two teams that so far remained unbeaten in the final competition, as both Club and Genk grabbed a handsome 10/12 so far.

For Blauw-Zwart, that - together with the 2021/22 season - is the best start ever in the Play-Offs, which on the previous match day itself ensured that FCB climbed to second place, two points off leader RSC Anderlecht. The Brusselers still lost in the absolute final on the previous match day on the field to Racing Genk.

It is the 85th time the teams meet, of the previous 42 home games against the Limburgers, Blauw-Zwart won 25 times, lost nine times and eight times there was no winner. In the Play-Offs, it will be Club Genk's tenth time hosting them at Jan Breydel. It won seven of the nine duels so far, the previous two confrontations in the POs did come with Genk winning in Bruges.

This season, Club picked up 4/6 against Genk. In September, the catch-up match at home ended 1-1 after Vanaken erased El Khannouss' opening goal. Early last month, Club recorded its biggest ever away win against Genk by winning 0-3 after goals from Vetlesen, Odoi and Skov Olsen. Skov Olsen, like Mignolet and Nielsen, is not yet match-fit.

Igor Thiago is still the club's top shooter with 16 roses, Maxime De Cuyper added an assist against Union and now counts eight decisive passes in the league. The two top shooters also face each other tonight in the Champions' Play-Offs. On the Bruges side, Onyedika was already able to score three times, on the other side Tolu did so. Nordin Jackers (who might play tonight against the team where he received his education) and Brandon Mechele did not miss a minute for Club in this edition of the Play-Offs.

<p>Raphael Onyedika will be back after suspension against Genk. He already scored three goals in the Champions' Play-Offs. </p>

Raphael Onyedika will be back after suspension against Genk. He already scored three goals in the Champions' Play-Offs.

The opponent

So we host KRC Genk for a duel between two teams in form. KRC Genk won at home against Union (1-0) and Anderlecht (2-1) and away at Antwerp (0-1). At home, they drew against Cercle. So against Club, Genk is preparing for the second transfer this Play-Offs. Club already played twice away (1-1 against Cercle, 1-2 against Union) and twice at their own Jan Breydel venue. At home, it took 6/6, scored six goals and has only one goal against.

The Limburgers are already unbeaten four home games in a row (2W & 2D), the last team to win against Genk was Blauw-Zwart (0-3 last month). Wouter Vrancken got his team back on track for the final round after a difficult season just in time. Exponent of that is center striker Tolu, who has now reached eleven goals. Bilal El Khannouss was already good for six assists.

Genk also has to miss a player due to suspension, as Joris Kayembe is serving the last of two suspension days against Club. Heynen, Oyen, Ouattara and Sor are also absent. Ken Nkuba is available again. El Khannouss is the only Genk player on a yellow card from suspension.

<p>The previous home game against the Limburgers saw Vanaken secure a point (1-1). </p>

The previous home game against the Limburgers saw Vanaken secure a point (1-1).

Milestones

  • Igor Thiago may play his 50th match for Club.
  • For Michał Skóraś it may be the 40th match at Club.
  • Kyriani Sabbe can play his 30th match at Blue-Black. It may also be his 20th match in the JPL.
  • Youth product Chemsdine Talbi is facing his 10th match at Club.
  • Bjorn Meijer can play his 60th league match for Club.
  • Jorne Spileers is facing his 40th match in the Jupiler Pro League.
  • Nordin Jackers can play his 100th official match of his career against his ex-club.

The referee

Mr. Lothar D'Hondt has been appointed referee, he will be supported by linesmen Romain Devillers and Nicolas Claes and fourth official Michiel Allaerts. Erik Lambrecht is the VAR for tonight, with Jo De Weirdt and Roel Bensch alongside him.

It is the 20th time D'Hondt will lead an official match at Club. The eight previous ones ended in four wins, two draws and two defeats.

Thirteen times before, the 29-year-old ref led a KRC Genk match, seven of which were on the move (2W 3D 2L). Earlier this season, Club's D'Hondt led the away match in the league at Eupen (0-5) and in the cup at home against Zulte Waregem (4-0) and away at Union (2-0). Of Genk, he led the two Limburg derbies against STVV (3-3 at home and 1-1 away) and away matches at Antwerp in the league (3-2) and Play-offs (0-1). It is only the first time he will whistle a duel between Club and Racing.