Club - Ghent: the Club Facts

Unibet - Number 1 in responsible play

It has been just under a year since Club Brugge and AA Gent looked each other in the eye. At the Ghelamco Arena, the match then ended in a 1-1 draw. This is the 149th confrontation between the two teams in First Division. Of the 74 previous home matches against AA Gent, Club was able to win 43 (last time 4-0 on 06/10/2019), draw 14 (last time 1-1 on 03/02/2019) and lose 17 (last time 0-1 on 20/05/2018). Last season, Club knocked off the Buffaloes by generous 4-0 figures. With Vanaken, Diatta, Dennis and Diagne, there were 4 different goal scorers.

Club is already 6 league matches in a row unbeaten against AA Gent. (4 wins and 2 draws). It was able to score 7 times in the past 2 home matches against AA Gent and keep the nets dry itself each time. Remarkably, Club and AA Gent were able to score 16 times in the first half (just like Beerschot). No club in First does better. Sunday also sees the 2 fairest teams in First Division facing each other. Club (20) and AA Gent (22) received the fewest yellow cards of the Jupiler Pro League.

THE OPPONENT

AA Gent had a disappointing season. In Europe, it fell in the UCL preliminary round against Club Brugge's next opponent in Europe: the Ukrainian FC Dynamo Kyiv. Then the Buffaloes remained scoreless in the UEL group stage in a pool should TSG Hoffenheim (Ger), Red Star Belgrade (Srb) and FC Slovan Liberec (Cze). In the league, AA Gent is already on its 4th coach. After 2 match days, Jess Thorup (Den) was sacked. Next was László Bölöni (Rou), but less than a month later he too was dismissed. Then trust was given to Wim De Decker, but the engine couldn't get going either. Therefore, at the beginning of this month, Hein Vanhaezebrouck was appointed, the coach who gave Gent its first league title and Super Cup in 2015. Under the 56-year-old coach, Gent started with a 6-on-9. This allowed Gent to win 2x in a row for the first time this season.

In addition to the departures, Gent made heavy in the transfer market. Ex-Club Brugge players goalkeeper Sinan Bolat [Antwerp] and defender Jordan Botaka [STVV] were brought in. In addition, these players also arrived:

-> goalkeeper Davy Roef [RSC Anderlecht]
-> defenders Núrio Fortuna [Sporting Charleroi], Andres Hanche-Olsen [Stabæk Fotball], Dino Arslanagic [Royal Antwerp]
-> midfielders Niklas Dorsch [FC Heidenheim (Ger)], Alexandre De Bruyn [STVV], Mathéo Parmentier [Sporting Lokeren]
-> attackers Tim Kleindienst [FC Heidenheim], Osman Bukari [AS Trencin].

AA Gent made 9 out of 24 on away trips in the outward round. 3 wins: 0-1 at Excel Mouscron, 1-4 at Waasland-Beveren and 0-1 at Sporting Charleroi. They also lost 5 times to STVV (2-1), Antwerp (1-0), KAS Eupen (2-1), Cercle Brugge (5-2) and KV Oostende (2-1).

MILPALS

Simon Deli can play his 60th game for Club, Balanta his 40th, Kossounou for the 30th time. Hans Vanaken played his 200th league game for Club on Thursday, in which he was involved in 110 goals. (62 league goals + 48 assists). Krépin Diatta strengthened his lead in the top shooter standings. He already hit 9 goals in the league. This puts him ahead of only 5 players in the national top shooter rankings. Hans Vanaken leads the ranking at Club with 6 assists.

THE REFEREE

Erik Lambrechts was appointed ref for the "Slag om Vlaanderen". He will referee an official match of Blauw-Zwart for the 24th time. The 12 previous home matches with Lambrechts as ref ended in 11 wins and 1 draw for Club. Of the Buffaloes, he whistled an official match 22 times before. AA Gent's 9 previous away matches with him ended in 2 wins, 3 draws and 4 defeats. 2 times before, Lambrechts whistled a game between the two clubs. In 2015, champion AA Gent and cup winner Club Brugge played for the Super Cup. The Buffaloes then won 1-0. The 2nd match Lambrechts whistled was the 2019 Play-Off 1 match at Jan Breydel, which Club won 3-0.

OTHER MATCHES THIS MATCHDAY

Fri 18/12 20:45 Sp. du Pays de Charleroi - RSC Anderlecht
Sat 19/12 16:15 KV Oostende - KAS Eupen
Sat 19/12 18:30 K. Beerschot VA - Cercle Brugge KSV
Sat 19/12 18:30 SV Zulte Waregem - K. Sint-Truidense VV
Sat 19/12 20:45 KRC Genk - KV Kortrijk
Sun 20/12 16:00 Oud-Heverlee Leuven - YR KV Mechelen
Sun 20/12 18:15 R. Standard de Liège - R. Excel Mouscron
Sun 20/12 20:45 KV RS Waasland-SK Beveren - R. Antwerp FC