Prediction: Anderlecht vs Sint. Truiden

Verdict: Anderlecht win

Best Odds: 6/11

Bookmaker: Dachbet

Looking to lay down an opening weekend marker on Saturday night, Anderlecht will welcome St. Truiden to Lotto Park.

Anderlecht

Starting with the hosts, wrapping up a Pro League bronze medal finish last season and booking a Europa League return, Anderlecht will be looking to carry on from where they left off back in May. With some around Lotto Park believing that the Purples can mount a genuine title charge this time around, Brian Riemer’s men will be hoping to make an early statement of intent here. Excited to get things underway on Saturday night, the former Copenhagen coach also saw his squad enjoy a real summer flurry. Winning five of their six pre-season showdowns over the past month, Anderlecht also found quite the clinical edge in the final third. Signing off their preparations with an action-packed 6-2 victory against Amiens, Riemer’s men notched 18 goals in their six pre-season friendlies.

Team News

Officially arriving from Italian giants AC Milan last week following a €3million deal, Serbian youngster Jan-Carlo Simic will make his Anderlecht debut on Saturday night. Likewise, completing a season-long loan switch from Turkish outfit Ankaragucu, 24-year-old Alexis Flips could play a leading role in the final third.

With former Leicester shot-stopper Kasper Schmeichel completing a move away from Lotto Park this summer, Colin Coosemans will likely start between the sticks here. Recording 15 Pro League strikes last season, ex-Ajax striker Kasper Dolberg will spearhead Anderlecht’s charge this weekend.

Sint. Truiden

As for the visitors, eventually forced to settle for a bottom-half finish among Belgium’s elite last season, Sint. Truiden are simply looking to find some stability this time around. Signing off the 2023/24 campaign with a routine 2-0 loss at the hands of Gent on May 25th, Christian Lattanzio’s men could only muster a single victory from any of their final eight top-flight appearances. Drawing a line under their pre-season preparations with a routine 3-0 drumming at the hands of Bundesliga club Koln, the Limburg-based outfit will be bracing themselves for a stern challenge here. Suffering a 4-1 defeat when they last met Anderlecht back on February 18th, they do hold a nightmare record against Saturday’s hosts. In fact, Lattanzio’s side have lost all of their previous four showdowns by an aggregate score of 11-2.

Team News

Away with Japan at the Olympic Games this summer, Sint. Truiden will be unable to call upon new recruit and number-one goalkeeper Leo Kokubo on Saturday night. Watching attacking talisman Aboubakary Koita completing a move to Greek giants AEK Athens last month, Lattanzio has a real void to fill in the final third.

Arriving from Algerian outfit Alger this summer for a fee in the region of €600k, central defender Zineddine Belaid should make his competitive debut at Lotto Park. Recording four Pro League strikes last season, 23-year-old Adriano Bertaccini should be handed the chance to spearhead Lattanzio’s attack.

Key Factors to Consider

• When Anderlecht and Sint. Truiden last met back on February 18th, the Purples collected a 4-1 romp on home soil.
• Anderlecht have won all of their previous four meetings against Saturday’s guests by an aggregate score of 11-2.
• Including a 6-2 victory against Amiens last weekend, the Purples won five of their six pre-season appearances this summer.
• Sint. Truiden conceded 12 goals in their final four friendly matchups this summer.
• Saturday’s guests have collected just a single victory at Lotto Park since back in August 2017.

Conclusion

Signing off their pre-season preparations with a thumping 6-2 victory against French outfit Amiens, Anderlecht will be looking to get proceedings underway with a statement of intent here. Winning five of their six friendly showdowns over the summer and finding a real clinical edge in the final third, Saturday’s hosts should also be excited by a stellar record against Sint. Truiden. Winning all of their previous four battles by an aggregate score of 11-2, we are backing a home victory at Lotto Park this weekend.

Verdict: Anderlecht win

Best Odds: 6/11

Bookmaker: Dachbet