Football Season Guide

Club Brugge prepare for the new season still on the high of winning their first league title since 2005. They have managed it in assertive and very impressive manner and there was no doubting that they were the best side in the country after overcoming a difficult start. It is difficult to find too many weak spots in their squad and they are very much the team to beat before the big kick-off. They have generally kept the core of their squad intact and the one significant loss so far is that of marauding full-back Thomas Meanier. He secured a deal to Paris Saint-Germain on the back of an impressive Euro 2016 but the Black and Blues acted swiftly and in Ricardo van Rhijn acquired a very good defender in his own right. The other big signing so far is that of Spaniard Tomás Pina, who will provide new options in midfield and will battle for a starting place with Timmy Simons and Ruud Vormer. Barring any departures of big players in the coming weeks, Brugge genuinely look in excellent position to defend their title. Abdoulay Diaby is likely to get even better up front while Jose Izquierdo is as good as any wide forward in the league when he is on form. The one setback at the start of the season is the injury of best centre-back in the squad, Bjorn Engels, but there is enough cover for that position. Overall, Brugge look miles better than the messy start of last season when they were ravaged buy injuries and had a rather unbalanced squad. It is all looking in place now for a strong challenge in the Champions League too and in Michel Preud’homme they have a manager who loves and knows the club inside out, and has the sort of understanding with his players that main rivals Anderlecht would lack, given their change of manager in the summer. That is what makes Brugge the hot favourites for the title again and it will be a surprise if they fail to claim the trophy indeed.