Een vroeg doelpunt van aanvoerder Ludwig Augustinsson bezorgde Anderlecht vorige week de leiding, en nu ze die voorsprong tot het laatste fluitsignaal hebben vastgehouden, hebben ze een sterke positie voor de terugkeer van deze week
- The Mauves head back to Lotto Park with a 1-0 lead, which puts them within touching distance of a place in the Europa League’s new-look group phase, featuring 36 teams and eight rounds of fixtures
UEFA Cup winners back in 1983, Anderlecht have been less successful in continental competition over the past few years, and they even missed out on Europe entirely in 2023-24
- Finishing third in the Belgian Pro League secured them a spot in this season’s Europa League playoffs, and before heading to Hungary – where the first leg was held due to security issues in Belarus – they moved top of their domestic table by beating Mechelen
- After posting three wins and a draw, Brian Riemer’s side have kept hold of first place despite playing one game fewer than their rivals, as last week’s league match against Genk was postponed in order to aid their European ambitions.
Given such sparkling form, Anderlecht will expect to secure victory on Thursday, before aiming to emulate their run through to the Conference League quarter-finals in 2023
