Club Brugge and Anderlecht will face off in the final of the Belgian Cup on Sunday at 18:00 at the King Baudouin Stadium, with Club Brugge widely considered the favourites.
Club Brugge has impressed all season, consistently stepping up when it matters most. This form has seen them advance brilliantly to the last 16 in the Champions League. In the domestic league’s Champions’ Play-offs, Club Brugge leads with 46 points, though they have played one more match than their rivals Union (44 points) and Genk (41 points), who face each other on Saturday.
Coach Nicky Hayen’s team gained confidence with a 4-1 victory over AA Gent on Thursday, a welcome result following their draw and loss in matches against Union. Standout player Christos Tzolis has scored six goals and provided four assists in seven play-off matches.
Anderlecht has also boosted its morale in the past week. Despite a highly inconsistent season, they appear to be finding form under Besnik Hasi, their third head coach this season. After achieving back-to-back wins over Gent, highlighted by Kasper Dolberg scoring four goals at home, Anderlecht secured an effortless 3-1 victory over Antwerp using a B-team.
This marks only the second time this season that Anderlecht has achieved a perfect nine-point week in the league. They are now nearly certain of finishing fourth in the Champions’ Play-offs. Additionally, Belgian record international Jan Vertonghen made his comeback against Antwerp, adding to the team’s optimism.
Anderlecht will be competing in its fifteenth final on Sunday, aiming for its tenth cup win, with their last victory in 2008. Record-holder Club Brugge enters its twentieth final, seeking a twelfth trophy, having last won the Croky Cup in 2015. Last year, the cup was won by Anderlecht's local rivals, Union Saint-Gilloise.
