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Antwerp take on the visitors Royale Union SG in the round 1 match of Belgian Jupiler Pro League. The match will be played on Friday, July 25th at Bosuilstadion (Deurne).
Antwerp will try to bounce back this season. The Great Old spent decades away from the top of Belgian football. But 2023 marked a real breakthrough. Under Mark van Bommel, they secured a historic domestic double — winning both the league title (for the first time since 1957) and their fourth Belgian Cup. That momentum carried over with a Super Cup triumph and a rare group-stage appearance in the Champions League. However, that was the last high point — results dipped sharply afterward. Last season, despite lofty expectations, they could only manage a fifth-place finish. New head coach Jelle Wils is tasked with reigniting the project; he was promoted from the club’s youth setup and is still relatively inexperienced at senior level. Pre-season results have been mixed, and the squad has undergone notable changes again — whether this rebuild will click remains uncertain.
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Royale Union have grown rapidly since British investors revived the club's ambitions. They not only returned to the top flight but immediately emerged as title challengers, narrowly missing out. A similar near-miss followed the season after, though they did lift the Belgian Cup — their first major trophy in years. In 2023, the club appointed Anthony Vanden Borre’s former teammate Karel Geraerts’ replacement, Alexander Blessin, but a year later turned to Miron Muslic, and finally found their winning formula. Last season, under the relatively unknown manager Alexander Blessin, they stunned everyone by clinching their first league title in 90 years. They edged Club Brugge by just a single point, benefiting from their rival’s final-day draw. Still, they opened the new campaign with a disappointing 1-2 loss to that same Brugge side in the Super Cup — a performance that raised early questions about their sharpness.
Union have won 6 of the last 8 meetings between the sides, losing just twice in that span. The visitors look sharper overall, even if they already stumbled once. Back Royale Union to take all three points in this clash.
Prediction for the match: Royale Union to win.
