In the weekend of the 19th of August the Belgian Jupiler League will kick off again.
Let's see who are the favorites for taking the title, the relegation candidates and the European places.
The Jupiler League:
The competition is played with 18 teams and a home and away points. Besides the Champion and the cup winner only the number 2 and 3 will play in Europe next season.
The numbers 17 and 18 will directly relegate to the second Division (Exqui League from this season on).
Last season:
Surprisingly Standard Liege took the title last year. With Anderlecht on a second place and Club Brugge at third. The surprise of the season however was Cercle Brugge with a rookie coach and attractive football ending in spot number 4.
Fc Brussels and Sint Truiden relegated without a chance on another year in the Jupiler League.
The Championship candidates:
Standard Liege
I don't see how Standard Liege can prolong their title. Although (at the moment) no important player left the team, the coach did surprisingly.
The new coach is Lazlo Boloni. The have the advantage that the team is already played in but the big disadvantage that the will probably use another tactic.
Also a big disadvantage is that they probably will have a set back when the discovered that the CL is unreachable from them.
Anderlecht
For me personally the big favorite for next year. Their biggest loss is the move from Ahmed Hassan to Al Ahly but at the end of the seaon last year they played their best games without him. I think that the other players will be releaved a that new stars will step up the plate.
On the incomming side they did great things. Let me rephrase this to: they have bought players with great potential and these are proving them right during the friendly games.
They expect a lot from Mattias Suarez from Belgrano and Kanu from Barueri. But I think that the home crowd will quickly embrace Losada from GBA as their new favorite.
Club Brugge
After a disappointing season, which was saved by qualifying for Europe thx to the missteps of AA Gent and Cercle Brugge, they invested a lot in new players and released the weaker players of last season.
However when I look at their incoming transfers I don't see big names but with the budget available to them they bought in great. They expect that Akpala from Charlerloi will be the next topscores of the Jupiler League.
Their biggest advantage that they have above Anderlecht and Standard is their head coach. Maybe the best coach at the moment in Belgium with great tactical knowledge and the gift the keep all pressure away from the players.
The outsiders:
I see only one and that is Racing Genk. They have invested a lot. Not only in buying new players but also in extending the contracts of vital players. And after so many years of rumours they finally did buy Joao Carlos from Lokeren. On of the best, maybe the best central defender of the Jupiler League.
The odds for a 1 EURO bet:
To win the title Place 1-3
Anderlecht 1.70 1.12
Club Brugge 4.50 1.37
Standard Liege 5.00 1.42
Racing Genk 16.00 3.50
To relegate:
Tubize 1.75
Kortrijk 2.10
Dender FCV EH 3.25
I think that this will be the top 4:
1. Anderlecht
2. Club Brugge
3. Racing Genk
4. Standard Liege
So where will I put my money on:
1 EURO on Anderlecht to win the title
1 EURO on Racing Genk to end in the top 3.
1 Euro on Tubize to 1.75
Hope this helps,
Dremeber
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