Club Brugge has clinically clinched its 19th Belgian football championship title with a 0-0 draw against rivals Cercle on the final day of the Jupiler Pro League Champions Playoffs on Sunday.
Bruges only needed a single point to seal the title, and a close chance came at the 19-minute mark, when a powerful header by Ferran Jutgla was dramatically saved by Christiaan Ravych on the line.
As the second half began, Bruges cranked up the pressure. Warleson, Cercle’s goalkeeper, had to make crucial saves against shots by Maxim De Cuyper (53rd minute) and Hans Vanaken (55th minute).
Championship’s top goalscorer, Kévin Denkey, posed a threat for Bruges, but he only found the side netting when creating a good chance in 57th minute.
The game had some last minute drama when, for the home supporters, the unthinkable happened. In the 83rd minute, a confusing melee in Bruges’ box saw Denis Odoi clearing Cercle's Leonardo Da Silva Lopes’ header off the line, with Cercle players claiming the ball had completely crossed it.
The tension was palpable across the stadium as the referee, Jonathan Lardot, went to consult VAR footage. In the end, he decided to flag Thibo Somers for offside – all but confirming Bruges’ title in the final minutes.
Club's supporters celebrate. Credit: Belga / Bruno Fahy
The final minutes of the match passed without major incident, allowing Bruges to celebrate a title won after a stunning comeback in the league table.
The northern Belgian team were fourth after the regular phase, nineteen points behind Union Saint-Gilloise. However, an impressive 24 out of 30 points in the playoffs under the leadership of coach Nicky Hayen propelled the ‘Blauw-Zwart’ to the top.
Bruges finished the season with 50 points, just one point ahead of Union, who beat Genk 2-0 in the last game of the season. Anderlecht trailed behind with 46 points, coming in third place.
Thanks to Genk’s loss at Union, Cercle (37 points) snatched the fourth spot. The ‘Groen-Zwart’ team will now compete in the Europa League’s second preliminary round.
Credit: Pro League / X
