Club Bruges and Union Saint-Gilloise know what awaits them in the round of 16 of the Conference League. And it seems doable!
Club Brugge, as group winner in the Conference League, was exempt from playing in the play-offs, while the Union achieved a feat once morest Eintracht Frankfurt this Thursday. When you eliminate the 6th in the Bundesliga, you can probably achieve something in the Conference League: that’s what we think at the USG, rightly so!
The round of 16 will be played on March 7 and 14. Bruges will first play away once morest Molde in Norway, then a week later at home. As for Union SG, they will first have a “home” match (at Lotto Park) once morest Fenerbahçe, then go to Turkey a week later.
Molde FK, takeable for Club Brugge
Brugge already faced a Norwegian team earlier this season. In the group stage, they dominated Bodo/Glimt, last season’s champion, while Molde finished fifth, nineteen points behind Bodo/Glimt. Last season, Molde were beaten 4-0 once morest La Gantoise in the Conference League and drew 0-0 at home once morest the Buffalos.
This season they finished third in their Europa League group with Bayer Leverkusen, Qarabag and Häcken. It was therefore a little surprise that they sharply eliminated Legia Warsaw this Thursday in the Conference League play-offs.
Fenerbahçe and Batshuayi await the Union
As for Fenerbahçe, we are especially waiting with pleasure for the return of Michy Batshuayi on Belgian grounds. The former Standard player is having a two-faced season with the Istanbul club: if he is only a reserve in the championship, he is often aligned in Europe, and scored 3 goals in the group stage.
The Torch had a more than decent season. They occupy second place in the Turkish league behind Galatasaray, with a comfortable lead of 24 points over Trabzonspor, Besiktas and the other teams. In the Conference League, they eliminated Zimbru, Maribor and FC Twente in the preliminary rounds, then topped their group with 12 points out of 18, once morest Ludogorets, Nordsjaelland and Spartak Trnava. They lost 6-1 to Nordsjaelland, however, and the Union will be sure to take notes…
