La Louviere take on the visitors St. Liege in the round 1 match of Jupiler Pro League. The match will be played on Saturday, July 26th at Stade du Tivoli (La Louvière).
La Louvière have a rather complex history. The original club was founded back in 1919, but went through numerous reorganizations, relocations — especially to Charleroi — name changes, and fresh starts under different banners. The current iteration has shown remarkable progress in a short span. After shedding its amateur status, the club immediately won Belgium’s third tier in 2024. Then, in their debut season in the Challenger Pro League, they matched Zulte Waregem with 59 points. Although Zulte took top spot on goal difference, second place was still enough to earn La Louvière direct promotion to the Jupiler Pro League. Their preseason results have been modest, but the energy and momentum around the club are undeniable. The real challenge now will be adapting to the quality and pace of top-tier football.
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Standard Liège are hoping to finally improve. The Reds may not be part of Belgium's current elite, but they still boast a rich trophy cabinet compared to their newly promoted rivals: 10 league titles and 8 domestic cups, the last of which came in 2018. Recent seasons, however, have fallen far short of expectations, especially for the club’s ambitious American owners. Last season, Standard failed to finish in the top six and missed out on the Championship Playoff round. Worse still, they collapsed in the subsequent Europe Playoff group — finishing second from bottom despite starting in the highest spot. The appointment of experienced manager Ivan Rednic signals a clear push for a turnaround. The club also brought in several reinforcements, most notably striker Thomas Henry, who brings top-flight experience from Ligue 1 and Serie A. There's growing pressure to deliver results quickly, especially against lower-ranked teams.
In their current form, La Louvière and Standard Liège have never faced each other before. The visitors have a clear edge in experience and squad depth. A bet on an away win with a 0 handicap looks like a sensible option.
Prediction for the match: Standard Liege to win with 0.0 handicap.
