Looking to build on a sensational 2023-24 campaign, newly-promoted Beerschot Wilrijk will lock horns with Leuven on the opening weekend of the Belgian Pro League season on Saturday evening.
De Kielse Ratten are back in the top flight of Belgian football following a short absence, whilst OH are aiming to further establish themselves as a comfortable Pro League outfit.
Match preview
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Following a two-year stint outside of Belgian's elite footballing group, Beerschot are back in the Pro League for the 2024-25 season after winning the Challenger League last season, claiming their first-ever title since a name change at the beginning of 2019.
Despite losing back-to-back games to SK Beveren and Patro Eisden at the conclusion of the term during the middle of April, De Kielse Ratten still managed to gain possession of the second-tier crown, finishing two points ahead of second-placed Dender and three points clear of Deinze in third.
Beerschot were not amazing at their Antwerp base during the 2023-24 campaign despite cantering to the title, winning seven and collecting 25 points from 15 home matches, a tally that five different sides in the division bettered, including FC Liege and seventh-placed Lommel.
That being said, De Kielse Ratten have been mightily impressive overall since the arrival of former Liverpool and Feyenoord attacker Dirk Kuyt to the managerial hotseat in December 2023, with the 44-year-old faring well in his first coaching role since an ill-fated spell at ADO Den Haag.
Saturday's hosts have an excellent recent record in home contests against Leuven, with Beerschot enjoying a four-game winning streak in this particular fixture across all competitions, including a promotion-deciding victory in March 2020, when Tarik Tissoudali netted the only goal of the match.
Finishing 10th in the Pro League last season, Leuven comfortably avoided trouble at the bottom of the top-flight standings and ensured a fifth straight season at this level, representing the club's greatest-ever spell of Pro League continuation after their formation in 2002.
Saturday's visitors have been busy this summer taking part in a number of pre-season clashes, with the most recent of those coming against Champions League-bound Lens last weekend, when a 103rd-minute strike from Wesley Said was enough to hand the Ligue 1 side victory.
Unlike during their days as a second-tier club in the late 2010s, Leuven boast a number of international stars in their ranks ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, one of which being Icelandic winger Jon Thorsteinsson, who netted the winner for his nation against England at Wembley in early June.
The 25-year-old's seven Pro League goals last season are not to be sniffed at, but the talents of French attacker Youssef Maziz stole the headlines at the club in 2023-24, with the former Metz and RFC Seraing man scoring seven times and providing seven assists in 34 top-flight appearances.
Following the nomadic two decades in management taking him to Israel, England, Austria and France, Spaniard Oscar Garcia is now the man tasked with guiding Leuven towards a first-ever top-half finish in the Pro League.
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Team News
Beerschot remain without the services of striker Ayouba Kosiah, who sustained a serious cruciate ligament injury in October 2023 and is yet to fully recover.
De Kielse Ratten have an English star in their ranks to keep an eye on, with former Stoke City and Northampton Town D'Margio Wright-Phillips in line for his maiden top-flight appearance in senior football.
Leuven are expected to be without attacker Jonatan Brunes this weekend, with the 23-year-old Norwegian picking up an injury during the latter stages of last season.
Sofian Kiyine's two-year spell at Leuven has been severely hindered by fitness issues, and the midfielder is not set to be ready for the start of the Pro League term this weekend.
Signing for a seven-figure fee from Italian outfit Salernitana, Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi is preparing to make his debut for the visitors on Saturday afternoon.
Beerschot Wilrijk possible starting lineup:
Matijas; Plat, Thiam, Reyners, Verlinden; Sanusi, Tshimanga, Keita, Cagro; Wright-Phillips, Huiberts
Leuven possible starting lineup:
Leysen; Pletinckx, Ricca, Akimoto, Schingtienne: Mendyl, Schrijvers, Maertens, Maziz; N'Dri, Ikwuemesi
We say: Beerschot Wilrijk 1-1 Leuven
Back in the Pro League after two years away, Beerschot should be greeted by an excellent home atmosphere at Olympisch Stadion on Saturday evening.
Leuven will be targeting a clash with the newly-promoted side as a good chance to collect maximum points, but we feel that the visitors will have to settle for a share of the spoils in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
