Tonight's game against Eendracht Aalst Lede will be Club Brugge's first Cup hurdle, game to be kicked off at Jan Breydel at 20h30. Here's what you need to know.
THE FIXTURE
Can we make it a double? After last season's successful Cup run, a record 12th win, Club Brugge will be all too eager to get back to the King Baudouin where it has fond memories of its Cup Final win against Anderlecht last season, courtesy of two Romeo Vermant goals (2-1). To boot, Club Brugge is having a fabulous home run, unbeaten across all competitions for six months. Club's last home defeat dates back to 24 April (vs Union 0-1).
Ever since the Cup competition got revamped back in 1963, Club has made it past this round 63 consecutive times. From 1963 until 1991, there was even a round of 32. In 62 earlier participations, Club made it to the round of 8 48 times (77.4%). We'd have to go back to 2018 to see Club falter in this round, as KMSK Deinze outdid Club 2-0. Deinze has been the last team from East-Flanders Club has met at this stage of the tournament. In four earlier Cup games, Club took up the gauntlet with Eendracht Aalst, which has been overhauled to Eendracht Aalst Lede since this season.
Skipper Hans Vanaken has made it to Club Brugge's Top 10 goal scores in the Belgian Cup:
- Jan Ceulemans (39)
- Raoul Lambert (32)
- Gert Verheyen (17)
- René Vandereycken (16)
- Lorenzo Staelens (15)
- Pierre Carteus (14)
- Kenneth Brylle (12)
Willy Wellens (12) - Johny Thio (11)
- Hans Vanaken (10)
Jan Sorensen (10)
Walter Loske (10)
THE OPPONENT
Rising from the ashes of the former Eendracht Aalst, Eendracht Aalst Lede kicked off this season at the Pierre Cornelis Stadium. The game originally was planned there, but the venue proved non-compliant for this fixture.
The former Eendracht Aalst was part of the top flight for 17 years, and had its best run in 1994-95 under coach Jan Ceulemans, coming in fourth with a group featuring Gilles De Bilde and Godwin Okpara. The Cup dreams were shattered by Club Brugge in the Semis. Those fine results earned the team a spot in the UEFA Cup, where it first went past PFC Levski Sofia (Bulgaria), but in the second round AS Roma (Italy) proved the better. Financial problems forced the club to restart back in 2002, and currently the team is in 3rd Vlaamse Amateurklasse VV (5th level). The team is having a fine start of the season, winning its fifth game on a spin just this weekend (a 0-1 at OHR Huldenberg, courtesy of a goal by Joran Triest, assisted byVadis Odjidja-Ofoe). Aalst Lede now shares first place with Tempo Overijse, both having 20 out of 27.
The team's coach is Sandy Casieris (51), at Jong Lede since 2022, with earlier stints at KSK Ronse, FC Lebbeke and Dikkelvenne. A striking Summer signing was presented in Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe. In 5.5 seasons at Club, signing in from Hamburger SV, Odjidja featured in 231 games at Club, scoring 26. He went on to play for Norwich City FC in 2014. Three more players have experience in the Belgian Pro League: Calvin Dekuyper (Cercle Brugge, Excelsior Moeskroen), Bob Straetman (KSC Lokeren) and Joran Triest (KSC Lokeren). The team's top scorer is Nicolas Van Peteghem (35), son of former Eendracht-player Roald, with 3 goals. The club's captain is Falko Geenens (30), who has been at Aalst since 2014.
In order to get to the Round of 16, Eendracht went past five teams.
MILESTONES
- Lynnt Audoor is up for a 20th official game wearing the Club jersey.
THE MAN IN BLACK
The man leading the Cup tie between Club Brugge and Eendracht Aalst Lede will be Mr. Arne De Beuckelaer, backed by his assistants Mr. Ruben Wyns and Mr. Hannes De Couvreur. A 27 year old referee from Schoten, Mr. De Beuckelaer has been appointed Challenger Pro League for some years now. Earlier this season, he was in charge of Club NXT U23 vs RFC Luik. This will be the third season running that he is featured in the Croky Cup Round of 16. This will also be the first time Mr. De Beuckelaer is in charge of a game featuring Club Brugge.