Clube Brugge vs Leicester Predictions & Betting Tips, Match Previews

Club Brugge’s Belgian Pro League triumph last season has seen them qualify for the Champions League group stages for the first time since the 2005/06 season, but they aren’t in the best of form coming into the start of European football.

The weekend saw them lose 1-0 at Waasland-Beveren, a result which made it three defeats, one draw, and one win in their last five games in the league. Overall they have won three, drawn one, and lost three of their seven competitive games this season. This leaves them down in 9th position in the table, but now they have to turn their attentions towards a potentially promising Champions League campaign.

Club Brugge couldn’t have hoped for a much better group. Their top seeded side are the unproven Leicester, whilst Copenhagen and Porto will provide firm challenges as well. None of these matches will be easy for the hosts, but all of them are potentially winnable, when you considering that they could’ve been drawn with the likes of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich or Juventus.

Leicester will feel they have a good chance of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League in their first ever European campaign as well. The underdogs inexplicably won the Premier League title last season in one of the biggest upsets in sporting history. This granted them instant access to the Champions League group stages, and Wednesday will mark their first ever European football match.

The champions haven’t started the season in particularly good fashion though. They lost to Manchester United in the Community Shield before losing to Hull and drawing with Arsenal in the Premier League. They managed a narrow victory over Swansea to earn their first three points of the season, but a 4-1 defeat at Anfield at the weekend will have dampened spirits.

It’s hard to pick a winner from these two out of form sides, but there is other value to be had. The loss of N’Golo Kante in the summer and subsequent injury of replacement Nampalys Mendy has left Leicester very prone at the back. They’ve conceded nine goals already this season and kept just one clean sheet, but with the likes of Islam Slimami, Jamie Vardy, Ahmed Musa, and Riyad Mahrez going forward they can always grab a goal or two.

Club Brugge have scored in five of their seven competitive games this season, conceding in five as well. With them having the home advantage I can see Club Brugge getting a goal against the vulnerable Leicester, but the hosts’ defence hasn’t been great this season. I’m backing Both Teams to Score at 4/5 and also going for a high scoring 2-2 draw at 14/1 for my correct score prediction.