After the international break, the Belgian football championship returns this weekend with the start of the Jupiler Pro League playoffs.
Genk leads with 34 points and will face Gent (6th, 23 points) on Sunday at 18:30, benefiting from knowing their rivals’ results. Union Saint-Gilloise (3rd, 28 points) will launch the Champions’ playoffs on Saturday at 20:45 against Antwerp (5th, 23 points).
Six points behind Genk, Union cannot afford to let their rivals gain early ground in the race. Brugge (2nd, 30 points) will also not drop points against Anderlecht (4th, 26 points) if they wish to retain their title.
Anderlecht manager Besnik Hasi’s return to the bench on Sunday at 13:30 is pending the outcome of the Disciplinary Council’s decision on his recent contentious remarks about refereeing.
Credit: RSC Anderlecht
The Europe play-off race is highly competitive as the top five are separated by just one point, with Dender slightly behind, four points adrift from Standard de Liège. OH Leuven-Charleroi will kick off the final round on Friday at 20:45. On Saturday at 18:15, Standard de Liège will aim to maintain their leading position during Mechelen’s visit. Dender-Westerlo will conclude the first weekend on Sunday at 19:15.
In the relegation battle (play-downs), the four teams retain their points from the regular season. Only the first-placed team, currently Cercle Brugge (32 points), is guaranteed a place in the Jupiler Pro League next season.
The bottom two teams, Kortrijk (26 points) and Beerschot (18 points), will be relegated. The second-last team, Saint-Truiden (31 points), will have to face a play-off against a Challenger Pro League club to stay up.
The first of the six relegation round fixtures will see Beerschot face Saint-Truiden on Saturday at 16:00. On Sunday at 16:00, Cercle Brugge, now led by former assistant Jimmy De Wulf, will travel to Kortrijk, where Bernd Storck attempts another rescue mission.
