Gent take on the visitors Royale Union SG in the round 39 match of Belgian Pro League. The match will be played on Thursday, May 21st at Planet Group Arena (Gent).
Gent have enjoyed significant success in their history, but in recent years they have slipped into the category of a solid mid-table side. Last season, despite making the championship group, they finished only 6th and missed out on European qualification. It looks very much like history is repeating itself now. The only caveat is that they did at least finish 4th in the regular season, edging Anderlecht by a single point and matching Mechelen on points. However, since April they have completely lost the habit of winning, at best alternating defeats with draws. Their overall attacking output has noticeably dropped in recent weeks, which explains why so many matches have slipped away. Mentally, the sense is that the campaign has already ended for them, even if fixtures remain to be played. Against Anderlecht and Sint-Truiden, they once again had to settle for sharing the points.
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Royale Union are trying to protect their place at the top. Union Saint-Gilloise, despite their major historical pedigree, spent decades in relative obscurity until British investors transformed the project. Under the new ownership, they returned to the Pro League and nearly won the title immediately, only to fall short against Club Brugge on multiple occasions. That changed last spring, when they finally got over the line and lifted the trophy. It also earned them a Champions League campaign, though despite some impressive performances, they failed to reach the knockout stage. Their domestic consistency, however, has remained one of the strongest in Belgium, even when setbacks occur. They have generally responded well to poor results this season, which makes their mentality a major factor here. They also reached the Belgian Cup final and beat Anderlecht convincingly there. Still, the main focus remains the battle with Club Brugge, who had already beaten them in the Super Cup last summer. The two have once again separated themselves from the rest of the pack, including a surprisingly stubborn Sint-Truiden, although in the previous round Union collapsed badly in the direct clash, losing 0-5.
The Unionists have not lost this fixture since 1970. However, after a run of five consecutive wins, including one earlier this season, the last two meetings have both ended in draws. The visitors have effectively already completed their season objectives, but they still look like the stronger side overall. Gent seem to be drifting toward the finish line with little momentum, while Union usually respond well after setbacks, so the lean is toward an away win for Union Saint-Gilloise.
Prediction for the match: Royale Union SG to win.
