Mechelen play host to Cercle Brugge, with the Belgian Jupiler League returning into action after the Qatar international break. The home side are sitting in thirteenth place, while Cercle Brugge are ninth and level on points with seventh. Mechelen had cup duties in midweek, managing to beat Seraing 1-0 and progress to the quarter-finals of the competition. They are also in the midst of a great record. Specifically, they have not lost in their last five games, winning five of their last eight and keeping clean sheets in four of those. The hosts hosts have also been positive at the AFAS Stadium, where they are unbeaten in four, losing just twice in their last nine encounters there. While they are facing off with a side chasing promotion, Mechelen can gain confidence from their positive record when hosting Cercle, having lost just once in their last six meetings against them.
Cercle Brugge also had cup duties in midweek, taking their game against Gent to extra time but eventually losing 2-0, failing ti join their hosts to the quarter-final stage. The defeat also interrupted an impressive record by the Brugge outfit, who had remained unbeaten in their previous seven games, winning six of them. It has not been that rosy on the road however, with their midweek cup defeat to Gent being the visitors’ sixth in their last ten games. Cercle Brugge have also worryingly failed to score in four of those defeats. While stronger on paper and higher up the table, it has not been easy for Cercle when visiting Mechelen, winning just once in their last six encounters there, with six of their last seven featuring goals at both ends.