Westerlo vs Antwerp Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 Belgian Pro League
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THE FACTS
When is Westerlo vs Antwerp on and what time does it start? Westerlo vs Antwerp will take place on Friday 15th September, 2023 – 19:45 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Westerlo vs Antwerp? Visit each team’s official website for the latest ticket information
Where can I watch Westerlo vs Antwerp in the UK? Westerlo vs Antwerp will not be televised live and cannot be streamed in the UK
THE LOWDOWN
WESTERLO
Under the management of Jonas De Roeck, Westerlo gained promotion to the Belgian top-flight in 2022 and they performed extremely well, despite losing star striker Lyle Foster to Burnley in the January transfer window. Playing a high-scoring and entertaining style of football, they finished in the top eight and qualified for the end of season UEFA Europa Conference League playoffs.
They have struggled at the start of the 2023/24 Jupiler Pro League season, though, and did begin with a 2-2 draw against Eupen, who struggled last season. Since that opening day sharing of the spoils, Westerlo have suffered five successive defeats and in their six games so far this season, they have managed to concede 13 goals as they languish in the bottom three and the relegation places after this international break.
ANTWERP
Under the management of former Netherlands captain Mark van Bommel, Royal Antwerp won the Belgian Jupiler Pro League title for the first time in over 50 years last season. They had started with nine successive victories before fading throughout the middle part of the campaign but rallied and then won the league in dramatic fashion via an out of the box Toby Alderweireld screamer in second-half stoppage-time on the opening day of the season.
Antwerp’s first stage of this campaign has been to focus on getting past AEK Athens and qualifying for the group stages of the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever. They have maintained some steady form with just one defeat in their opening five league games but a 2-2 draw with Union SG before the international break means they have won just one since the opening day of the season.
THE TEAM NEWS
WESTERLO
Jonas De Roeck has several injury doubts ahead of this weekend but is still expected to name an unchanged side as they take on the reigning champions.
PREDICTED XI (4-4-2): Gillekens; Reynolds, Neustadter, Perdichizzi, Rommens; Jordanov, Madsen, Van Eenoo, Chadli; Frigan, Stassin
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE: Bos (Injured), Bernat (Injured), Yow (Injured), El Hari (Injured)
ANTWERP
Mark van Bommel is without key defender Toby Alderweireld due to injury and may be forced into some other changes, too, as they prepare for the UEFA Champions League.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Butez; Bataille, De Laet, Coulibaly, Vines; Vermeeren, Keita; Muja, Ekkelenkamp, Balikwisha; Janssen
UNAVAILABLE: Alderweireld (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: De Wolf (Injured), Corbanie (Injured), Verhulst (Injured), Engels (Injured)
THE PREDICTION
The home team are one of the most entertaining teams in the league but, despite the late summer signing of former Tottenham and West Brom winger Nacer Chadli, they are struggling down at the bottom end of the Belgian Jupiler Pro League table. They now face a cautious and far more measured side in reigning champions Royal Antwerp. Antwerp may not be entirely dominant or front foot in this match but they are the favourites for this one against struggling opposition potentially set to suffer from a touch of second season syndrome.
TIP: ANTWERP TO WIN
