To conclude the 2025-2026 season, brand-new national champions Club Brugge hosted KAA Gent at home for another Battle of Flanders. Midway through the first half, Forbs opened the scoring for Club and even before halftime, Tresoldi extended the score with two goals the one even more beautiful than the other. In the second half, the hosts simply continued on that momentum and Tresoldi was able to complete his hat-trick. Finally, Tzolis recorded Club's fifth with a delightful curl. A farewell to the season in true champion style!
The draw at KV Mechelen on Thursday allowed Club to celebrate its 20th national title, and for the final match of the season, coach Ivan Leko opted to leave most of his starting squad in place, making just two changes to his Starting XI, allowing Stanković some rest in favour of Sandra, and allowing Simon Mignolet a start in his very last game of his playing career.
After a fantastic tribute to "Big Si", featuring reactions by Steven Gerrard and Virgil van Dijk, Club was off to a fine start, and five minutes in, a nice and fast combination between Tresoldi and Tzolis allowed the latter to strike inside the box for a well placed shot towards the far corner, but Roef reacted with a clever save to prevent an early goal. Moments later it was Tresoldi's turn to provide goal danger as Club's striker received the ball just outside the sixteen, firing away immediately, but unfortunately his attempt went wide of Roef's goal. The threat continued to come from the hosts, as on the quarter hour mark Tzolis showed himself again. In his familiar manner, the Greek winger came inside the sixteen, but in the end he could not frame his shot. The visitors from Gent had not put Mignolet to work until then, but that changed soon after as the leather was kicked into the pack by De Vlieger and there Duverne was able to head at goal from very close range. However, Club's goalie picked out an excellent leg reflex to prevent the opening goal. The home team initially responded to this with a header by Tresoldi into Roef's arms, but a few minutes later the goal finally fell! Tzolis pushed forward well, cutting out his opponent and setting up Forbs in front of goal, who scrambled it in to make it 1-0.
Now well in control of the game, Club pushed on, and Tresoldi came very close to doubling the lead in a game that was now really going only one way, but he was unable to frame his header upon a fine Vanaken cross. A bit later, Club's (spoiler alert) soon to be top scorer did make his way to the back of the nets as Vetlesen found Tresoldi inside the box to strike without remorse to make it 2-0. Club maintained its drive, and several more chances followed. Vanaken with a great free kick, pawed away by Roef, and Vetlesen also finding Roef on his way. KAA Gent responded with an attempt by Kanga wide of Mignolet's goal, but still it was Club that remained firmly in charge, resulting in a third goal before half time still. Vanaken found the infiltrating Sandra in the penalty area with a crafty ball, who headed it back neatly towards Tresoldi, taking it in one go to make it 3-0.
The second half started with one change on both sides. For Club, Ordóñez stayed in the dressing room and was replaced by Stanković, and for the visitors Sonko came into the team for Hong. This hardly changed the game, as once again it was Blauw-Zwart who quickly went on the attack. Yet it was Gent that struck first after a good five minutes, but Mignolet did not have to come into action. An attempt by De Vlieger was deflected into a corner and then a header landed wide of the far post. This was immediately the signal for the home team to push the gas pedal a little harder again, and this quickly yielded results! Vetlesen found the head of Tresoldi with a measured cross and he headed his hat-trick past Roef from close range. Around the hour, both sides made a few substitutions, with Sabbe and Vermant coming on for Club. After 65 minutes, the visitors from Gent had another opportunity through Kanga, but he saw his shot go just wide of the far post.
A little over halfway through the second half, captain Vanaken received a well-deserved change of applause from Jan Breydel and shortly after, Sandra took his chance from distance. However, his shot was too central and posed no problem for Roef. A few minutes later, Gent's goalie also had no trouble with a slider from Stanković. This was perhaps the best moment of the whole evening! An honor guard was formed for Mignolet when the Club goalie was replaced by debutant Vanden Driessche. As if that wasn't enough, Tzolis made the evening even more beautiful a few minutes later! The Greek first fooled Volckaert before curling the leather beautifully past Roef against the nets.
In the end, no extra time was counted and the festivities in and around the Jan Breydel Stadium could begin! Blauw-Zwart ends the season as champions and with a true gala performance by beating KAA Gent by a forfait score!
Champions' Play-offs - Matchday 10
Audience: 28,000 - Jan Breydel Stadium
Referee: Erik Lambrechts
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet (78' Argus Vanden Driessche)- Hugo Siquet (62' Kyriani Sabbe), Joel Ordóñez (46' Aleksandar Stanković), Brandon Mechele, Joaquin Seys - Cisse Sandra, Hugo Vetlesen, Hans Vanaken (70' Jorne Spileers) - Carlos Forbs (62' Romeo Vermant), Nicolò Tresoldi, Christos Tzolis.
Bench: Nordin Jackers, Dani van den Heuvel, Argus Vanden Driessche, Bjorn Meijer, Jorne Spileers, Kyriani Sabbe, Raphael Onyedika, Aleksandar Stanković, Mamadou Diakhon, Romeo Vermant, Gustaf Nilsson.
Coach: Ivan Leko.
KAA Gent: Davy Roef - Daiki Hashioka, Matties Volckaert, Siebe Van der Heyden - Jean-Kévin Duverne (69' Hannes Vernemmen), Mathias Delorge (57' Aimé Omgba), Leonardo Lopes (76' Abdelkahar Kadri), Tibe De Vlieger (57' Atsuki Ito), Tiago Araújo - Hyun-seok Hong (46' Momodou Sonko), Wilfried Kanga.
Bench: Kjell Peersman, Bas Evers, Atsuki Ito, Aimé Omgba, Momodou Sonko, Abdelkahar Kadri, Moctar Diop, Mamadou Diallo, El Hadji Seck, Hannes Vernemmen, Wout Asselman.
Yellow: Lopes
Red: None
Goals: 21' Forbs (1-0), 33' Tresoldi (2-0), 41' Tresoldi (3-0), 53' Tresoldi (4-0), 79' Tzolis (5-0)