Club Brugge, Anderlecht and Genk are playing in three different competitions this week in the first leg of a decisive European playoff that will determine the rest of their season.
Club Brugge travels to Glasgow on Tuesday to face Nicolas Raskin's Rangers in the Champions League. With 9 points out of 12 in the league and qualification secured against RB Salzburg in the third qualifying round, the Blauw en Zwart have won five of their first six games of the season.
In contrast, the Scottish club has not had the best start to the season. Rangers qualified in the previous round against Plzen and in the Scottish Cup last weekend against Alloa Athletic (D3), but shared the points in their first two league games.
The Club will join Union in the Champions League group stage if they win and will be transferred to the Europa League if they are eliminated.
On Thursday, Genk travels to Lech Poznan for the Europa League play-offs. Thorsten Fink's men recorded their first win of the season in the OHL last Friday.
Defeat in the two-legged tie would send the Limburgers into the Conference League. Their opponents have not had a better start. After five games, Lech Poznan are ninth in the Polish league and were eliminated by Red Star Belgrade in the third qualifying round of the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Anderlecht will host AEK Athens in the Conference League. The Greeks should be fresher than the Brussels side, as their domestic league has not yet resumed. In the previous round, AEK eliminated Cypriot club Aris Limassol. The Mauve and White must win if they want to play in Europe this season.
