In Belgium, the winter break is already over, as several clubs have to play again starting tomorrow. The last matches in the Jupiler Pro League were played on December 27, and on Tuesday evening, a new round in the Croky Cup begins. Eight teams will compete in the quarterfinals, aiming for a victory. Read all about these matches in this article.
Croky Cup
The Belgian Cup has been called the Croky Cup since 2015, but the tournament has existed since 1908. Over the years, Club Brugge has collected the most victories: the West Flanders club has no fewer than 11 cups to its name. Anderlecht and Standard follow with 9 and 8 titles, respectively. The current titleholder is Union, after defeating Antwerp in the final. The cup winner receives a rotating trophy and qualifies for the final qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League and the Belgian Supercup.
Union began this cup competition as the defending champion, but there are certainly plenty of challengers. Club Brugge, for example, hopes to do even better this year after securing the title last year. Nicky Hayen and his team, “The Farmers,” are aiming for the double. Additionally, top seeds Genk, cup finalist Antwerp, and Anderlecht are all eager to lift the cup. Or perhaps there will be a surprise from underdogs OHL, STVV, or Beerschot.
Tuesday, January 7
Club Brugge and OH Leuven will ring in the new year with a duel at the Jan Breydel Stadium. Blue-Black are favorites at home, as they remain the only team closely trailing Jupiler Pro League leader Genk. In the cup matches, they have not faced much resistance so far, achieving relatively easy victories against Belisia Bilzen and Patro Eisden. OHL also secured clear wins against Seraing and Zulte-Waregem, but the team from Leuven sits only in 11th place in the Jupiler Pro League. On Monday, it was announced that OHL will travel to Bruges without key players Ezechiel Banzuzi and Birger Verstraete due to injuries. This fits perfectly into Nicky Hayen’s plans to go all-out for the double with Club Brugge.
At the same time, STVV and Genk will kick off their match, which is expected to be another heated derby for the two Limburg teams. Genk is having a strong season in the Jupiler Pro League, while the Canaries find themselves in the relegation zone. The gap between the two could hardly be greater, and an STVV victory would undoubtedly be an upset. But cup matches are precisely for such surprises. It remains to be seen whether a strong Genk, fresh off a training camp in Spain, can avoid being caught off guard by the Canaries.
Wednesday, January 8
On Wednesday, we move to Antwerp, where Union visits the Bosuil Stadium. This might be the most exciting fixture of the week, as both teams are performing well in the top six of the first division. As the defending champion, Union showed strength against Gent in the round of 16, even though they let a two-goal lead slip away. A few weeks later, Union defeated the Buffaloes again in the league. A victory here would allow the Brussels team to continue their good run. However, Antwerp is also doing well, currently in 4th place in the Jupiler Pro League. In their last cup match, “The Great Old” won by a resounding 6-1 margin.
Thursday, January 9
We stay in Antwerp for the final match of the Croku Cup, but this time at the Olympisch Stadion, also known as the Kiel. Beerschot hosts Anderlecht on Thursday, and this game could also bring surprises. The “Mannekes” are at the very bottom of the Jupiler Pro League, while their challenger completes the top three. It’s a tough challenge for the home team, but Beerschot is one of the few teams that held a winter training camp. This allowed coach Dirk Kuyt’s players to prepare thoroughly. However, it’s safe to say that Anderlecht also knows what’s at stake. The Mauves will have to wait for the return of Jan Vertonghen to complete their defense, as the former Red Devil injured his ankle during training and will be sidelined for several weeks.
Magic Betting Live
Want to make the matches of the Croky Cup even more exciting? Check out the Magic Betting App or visit the website www.magicbetting.be for the best online sports bets. Don’t forget to explore the various promotional offers. Take your chance and win!