The new season in the Jupiler Pro League kicks off Friday evening (20:45) with the Brussels derby between Union Saint-Gilloise and RSC Anderlecht. The 2022-23 champions Antwerp start on Sunday afternoon at home against Cercle Brugge.
Union had the league title snatched from under the noses in the last minutes of last season and charmed their way through Europe. Despite those successes, Union parted ways with their manager Karel Geraerts this summer and brought in as a replacement the German manager, Alexander Blessin, who faces the tough task of trying to better Union's record from last season.
In the Anderlecht camp, this season's priority is avoiding a repeat of last season where the Mauves finished 11th. This summer, the club has brought in Kasper Dolberg, among others, as a new striker.
With Ostend, Zulte Waregem and Seraing, three teams were relegated from the top division and only RWD Molenbeek were promoted – also bringing the number of Brussels club in the top flight to three.
For the Molenbeek team, coach Vincent Euvrard has already been fired and replaced by Brazilian Claudio Caçapa, and start the season Saturday 20:45 with a home game against last seasons runners-up, KRC Genk.
On Saturday, Eupen vs Westerlo (16:00) and Charleroi vs Oud-Heverlee Leuven (18:15), are also scheduled.
Sunday at 13:30, defending champions Antwerp open their season at home against Cercle Brugge. The Great Old already won the Super Cup against KV Mechelen last weekend, after penalties, pulling off a stunning third trophy in three months after winning the league and the Belgian cup.
Mechelen visit Club Brugge on Sunday in the eve 18:30, who, with new coach Ronny Deila, who also aim to improve on than last season’s disappointing fourth-place finish.
Deila’s former team Standard de Liège, where Carl Hoefkens (ex-Club Brugge) now sets the sporting lines, opens the season Sunday evening 19:15 at STVV’s pitch. At 16:00 earlier, AA Gent will face Kortrijk at home.
What changes this season?
For this season, the Jupiler Pro League has been trimmed down to 16 teams after three years of having 18.
At the end of the 30 games played in the regular season, the play-offs will once again be played with the top six teams (instead of four) and played over 10 rounds, both for the title (Champions' play-offs) and for the final European ticket (Europe play-offs).
Points will continue to be halved for these final rounds. The top three in the Champions' play-offs will be entitled to a European ticket, while the fourth-placed team will face the winner of the Europe play-offs at home in a single match for the final continental spot.
The last four teams in the regular phase will play the relegation play-offs (6 rounds), where the points will not be split. The bottom two will be sent down to the lower tier. The winner is safe, while the 2nd-placed team will have to secure its place in a two-legged play-off against the winner of the Challenger Pro League promotion play-offs.
