KV Kortrijk - Club: the Club Facts

The Match

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It is already the 64th confrontation between the two teams in First Division. Club hosts Kortrijk for the 32nd time. The previous duels produced 14 wins (last time 1-2 on 20/08/2017), 7 draws (last time 2-2 on 26/01/2020) and 10 defeats (last time 2-1 on 20/08/2016). Club is already 3 away matches in a row unbeaten at the Golden Spurs Stadium. The last time Club remained unbeaten for at least 3 away matches in a row at Kortrijk dates back to 2009 (then 13 away matches in a row without defeat).

Moreover, Club is already unbeaten in 8 mutual duels with KV Kortrijk (6 wins, 2 draws). Blauw-Zwart won the home match against Kortrijk in November with the smallest difference. With a beautiful overtake on a Michael Krmenčík pass, Noa Lang scored the only goal. If Club can also beat KV Kortrijk on Saturday, it will get its 40th win in First Division against the Devils. Club is already 10 away games in a row unbeaten in the Jupiler Pro League and the penultimate Belgian club to remain unbeaten for at least 10 away games in a row was Club Brugge itself on Oct. 17, 2020 (then 11).

Noa Lang will not be there on Saturday. He has been suspended for 1 match after his red card against Antwerp. The Dutch striker also fell out injured during the international break at the European Under-21 Championship in Hungary. Lang is Club's top marksman with 12 goals. Ruud Vormer was then voted Player of the Month at Club Brugge. The Dutch captain is still the assist king with 9 indicated goals. Goalkeeper Mignolet could not keep the zero in the league against Antwerp for the first time in 3 home matches. Nevertheless, he remains the national record holder with 14 clean sheets.

THE OPPONENT

KV Kortrijk could be assured of a win against Club. The team is currently 14th in the standings with 36 points. That is 7 points more than Cercle Brugge in 17th place. If Kortrijk cannot win, they are eliminated from Play-Off 2 and know that their season is over on April 18.

At the end of January, coach Yves Vanderhaeghe was sacked. He was replaced by Luka Elsner. The 38-year-old Slovenian coach was already active in Belgium in the 2018-19 season when he led R. Union St.-Gillis. Under Elsner, Kortrijk posted a 6 out of 18. However, it must be said that 5 of the 6 games were away matches.

KV Kortrijk achieved 17 out of 45 at home. Only Cercle (13) and Waasland-Beveren (11) got fewer points on home soil. The Veekaa won against Excel Mouscron (3-0), KV Oostende (3-1), Standard (2-1), AA Gent (1-0) and KRC Genk (2-1), played draw against KAS Eupen (0-0) and Beerschot VA (5-5) and lost to Waasland-Beveren (1-3), Antwerp (1-3), RSC Anderlecht (1-3), OHL (0-3), STVV (0-2), Cercle Brugge (1-2), Sporting Charleroi (1-3) and Zulte Waregem (1-2). KV Kortrijk did manage to keep the zero for 9 times. Only AA Gent (10) and Club Brugge (14) achieved more clean-sheets than the Veekaa.

Kortrijk's top shooter is Ilombe Mboyo, who has already left for STVV. Faïz Selemani, who still played at Union under Elsner, is of the current core both top shooter and assist king (5 goals + 5 assists). Pape Habib Gueye also hit 5 goals.

Besides Mboyo, Hannes Van der Bruggen (Cercle Brugge), Christophe Lepoint (Excel Moeskroen) and Brendan Hines-Ike (loaned to D.C. United (Usa)) also left the club this winter.
KV Kortrijk attracted these replacements:
-> defender Aleksandar Radovanovic [RC Lens].
-> midfielders Ante Palaversa [rented from Manchester City FC], Gaëtan Gendrickx [rented from Sporting Charleroi].
-> attackers Teddy Chevalier [Valenciennes FC], Zinho Gano [hired from KRC Genk], Yani Van Den Bossche [own promise]

MILPALS

Hans Vanaken already scored 5 times for Club against KV Kortrijk. Only Foeke Booy, Jan Ceulemans (both 7 goals) and Joseph Akpala (6) have scored more often against the West Flemish team. Vanaken's next goal or assist would mark the midfielder's 150th time involved in a goal in the Jupiler Pro League as a goal-scorer or declarer (37 for Sporting Lokeren, 112 for Club Brugge).

Clinton Mata can play his 110th official game for Club brugge. For Youssouph Badji, it could be the 30th match. Nabil Dirar can play his 120th league match for Blauw-Zwart. It will be the 90th official match for Philippe Clement as Club coach.

THE REFEREE

Jasper Vergoote was appointed ref for the West Flemish derby between KV Kortrijk and Club Brugge KV. Vergoote did not referee an official Club Brugge match before. However, he did conduct Club's practice match in Deinze against Croatian Lokomotiv Zagreb in the preparation for the 2019-20 season.

The 29-year-old ref did lead 3 league matches of KV Kortrijk. Each time they were home matches of the Guys. These resulted in 1 win, 1 draw and 1 defeat for the club. This season Vergoote led the home matches against Beerschot VA (5-5) and Standard (2-1) for KV Kortrijk.

OTHER MATCHES THIS MATCHDAY

Sat 03/04 16:15 KV Oostende - KV RS Waasland-SK Beveren
Sat 03/04 18:30 SV Zulte Waregem - KAS Eupen
Sun 04/04 13:30 Cercle Brugge KSV - K. Beerschot VA
Sun 04/04 18:15 R. Standard de Liège - KAA Gent
Sun 04/04 20:45 Sp. du Pays de Charleroi - R. Excel Mouscron
Mon 05/04 13:30 Oud-Heverlee Leuven - KRC Genk
Mon 05/04 16:00 K. Sint-Truidense VV - YR KV Mechelen
Mon 05/04 18:15 R. Antwerp FC - RSC Anderlecht