Cercle Brugge has named their starting lineup for the home match against STVV in the Jupiler Pro League. Manager Lars Friis sticks with the same eleven players who earned a point against Standard Liège last week, as reported by Voetbalbelgie.be. The match kicks off at 20:45 at the Jan Breydel Stadium.
Viggo Martens retains his place in midfield, with Amane Lazare having to settle for a spot on the bench. It's a reward for Martens' strong performance in the season opener. Captain Hannes Van Der Bruggen is again absent due to an injury sustained in training. The team currently sits tenth in the standings with one point from one match.
Who starts for Cercle Brugge?
Cercle Brugge's lineup features goalkeeper Coucke. The defence is made up of Kakou, Ravych, and Kondo. The midfield consists of Magnée, Mondele, Diaby, Martens, and Konaté. The attack is led by Ngoura and Vanzeir. On the bench, players like Langenbick, Diakité, Caicedo, and Gheerardyns await their opportunity.
This selection shows Friis's faith in the group that played last week. It also means new signings must wait a bit longer for their debuts. The full squad can be viewed on our squad page.
What did manager Lars Friis say about the opponent?
Lars Friis emphasised beforehand that STVV is a strong team. "We are playing against a very strong team," the Danish coach said. "It will not be an easy match again. It's a different opponent than Standard, but we will try to impose our game again."
His words underscore the respect for an STVV side that also started the season with one point. The Canaries finished eleventh last season and aim to finish higher this year. Cercle Brugge wants a first home win to make a better start than last season, when the team didn't win until the fourth matchday.
What does the STVV lineup look like?
STVV began the league with a 1-1 draw against Lommel SK. Manager Thorsten Fink again selects Kokubo in goal. The defence comprises Hata, Mbe Soh, Musliu, and Pupe. Ishiwatari and Sissako are in midfield, while Vanwesemael, Merlen, Sebaoui, and Soelle Soelle are tasked with providing the attack.
Two new signings, Samed Bazdar and Arbnor Muja, are not yet fit enough for a place in the squad. On the bench are players like Lendfers, Janssens, Taniguchi, Diriken, and Benachour. Jan Boterberg is the appointed referee. The match statistics will be available later on our stats page.
What does this mean for the upcoming fixtures?
By naming an unchanged lineup, Friis provides clarity and continuity. Van Der Bruggen's absence remains a loss, but the trust in Martens is significant. Cercle Brugge's next match is an away trip to KRC Genk, an important test. The schedule for that match and other upcoming fixtures can be seen on the fixtures page.
A good result against STVV is important for confidence early in the campaign. The team needs to pick up points at the Jan Breydel Stadium to realise their ambition of a top-six finish. The focus is now entirely on executing Friis's plan against a tricky opponent.
