On Thursday evening, Bayer Leverkusen will be welcomed to Lotto Park, where they will face Union Saint-Gilloise, who are playing in the ground of their city rival’s R.S.C Anderlecht. Union SG are Belgium’s 3rd most successful club and will utilise the stadium for the night as they focus on progressing to their first ever Europa League semi-final.
Union have won 11 Belgium Pro League titles with their last coming in 1935, and, until recently, they had spent 48 years away from Belgium’s first division.
In 2020 they were promoted and in a remarkable first season back in Belgium’s top league they finished 1st, narrowly losing in the play-offs to win the league. That season they scored a record 78 goals, finishing on 77 points, well above their city rivals RSC Anderlecht and Belgium’s other top teams such as Club Brugge, Antwerp and Gent.
Union’s manager is 41 year old Karel Geraerts. The Belgian was previously the assistant to Felice Mazzù who masterminded the club’s promotion from Belgium’s second division and guided them through their first season back in the Belgium Pro League.
However, Geraerts has continued the impressive work since becoming Head Coach, with Union currently sitting in 2nd place just two points off league leaders Genk, with another chance to win the Pro league in the play offs. Geraerts deserves much credit for continuing the momentum and keeping Union SG as a high flying team in the Belgian League.
Union Saint-Gilloise have not only exceeded expectations within Belgium, but also across Europe. Union SG finished top of their group beating Swedish giants Malmö on both occasions, as well as winning 2-1 against Braga in Portugal before drawing 3-3 at home. They also beat Union Berlin, who have had their own success story, before slipping to a 1-0 defeat at home in the final match day of the group stage.
That was not to be their final run in with Union Berlin, also being drawn against them for the round of 16, where they won 6-3 on aggregate, drawing 3-3 in Berlin before thrashing their German opponents 3-0 at Lotto Park.
In the opposite dug out is fellow 41-year old, Xabi Alonso. The former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich player was appointed boss of Bayer Leverkusen in October of 2022, after a poor run had left them second bottom in the league, winning just once in eight games.
Since then Alonso has led a transformation with the German side now sitting 6th with 44 points, just six points off 5th placed SC Freiburg. It is a remarkable turnaround with Alonso playing a high pressing and more aggressive brand of football.
This tie currently stands at 1-1 after the first leg, where Victor Boniface opened the scoring for Union SG in the 51st minute with a finely taken goal, bending a right footed shot passed the outstretched Lukas Hradecky.
However German youngster Florian Wirtz responded in the 82nd minute with a strongly driven right footed effort into the far corner to level the tie.
Bayer Leverkusen originally started the season in Europe’s top club competition, the Champions League, however dropped out after winning just one game against Atletico Madrid, with losses in both games against Porto and failing to beat Club Brugge.
Since being in the Europa League, they beat AS Monaco 5-3 on penalties after drawing 5-5 on aggregate, before beating Ferencváros 4-0 over two legs. Alonso’s Leverkusen are now unbeaten in their last 11 games in all competitions.
Both managers like to play a system which utilises a backline of three defenders with two wingbacks, although the left sided wingback in Alonso’s is more defensive. In both systems, wingbacks are vital in creating opportunities and provide an important attacking dimension.
Alonso uses a 3-4-3 formation which aids his high pressing and aggressive tactics, while Geraerts system is easily interchangeable between a 3-5-2 with the ball and 5-3-2 without it, allowing for defensive stability.
Thursday evening’s match will be an interesting encounter as two impressive young coaches look to go one step closer to winning their first honour at club football as a manager.
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Team News
Union SG have no fresh injury concerns to deal with. Geraerts made seven changes at the weekend choosing to give rest time to midfielders Loïc Lapoussin, Senne Lynen and Lazare Amani as well as striker Victor Boniface and defender Ismael Kandous.
The biggest miss for Union SG is arguably due to suspension, with Belgian centre back Siebe Van Der Heyden missing out due to picking up a yellow card in the first leg at the BayArena. Van Der Heyden has played all Europa League games for Union SG this season apart from one in which they lost, their only loss in the competition this year.
Van Der Heyden will be expected to be replaced by either Koki Machida who has made seven appearances this season in a Union shirt or Englishman Ross Sykes who may be the more trusted figure having played 24 times this season, including three appearances in the Europa League.
Apart from the suspension to Van Der Heyden, Union SG find themselves in a very positive position with a full strength squad at Karel Geraert’s disposal.
For Leverkusen, Ezequiel Palacios is likely to miss out due to injury after being forced off at half time in the first leg. The Argentine World Cup winner, who plays in midfield, has made 28 appearances in all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen this season, scoring four and assisting twice.
Kerem Demirbay will be expected to come in to replace him alongside Robert Andrich in the midfield.
In addition, striker Patrick Schick will miss out due to injury. The former Czech Republic footballer of the year has had his season plagued by abductor problems since October, making just 14 appearances, with his last appearance coming on the 5th of Match against Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga.
Alonso will be expected to opt for a front two of Moussa Diaby and Amine Adli, with Wirtz playing just behind them both.
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Likely Line-ups
Moris, Kandouss, Burgess, Sykes, Nieuwkoop, Lazare, Lynen, Teuma, Lapoussin, Vertessen, Boniface.
Hradecky, Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba, Frimpong, Andrich, Demirbay, Hincapie, Diaby, Wirtz, Adli.
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Key Players
Union Saint-Gilloise - Victor Boniface
Boniface was signed in August 2022 from Norwegian outfit Bodø, and the Nigerian striker has been a revelation ever since.
Boniface had big boots to fill with his predecessor Deniz Undav scoring 45 goals and assisting 18 before earning a move to Brighton.
Boniface is a fast and physical player, truly demonstrating this in the first leg where early on he shrugged Jeremie Frimpong off the ball, sending him sprawling to the floor, before beating Edmond Tapsoba to narrowly fire wide.
In the second half, he again showed his worth with a well placed and powerful shot curling into the far corner to give Union SG the lead.
In total this season he has scored 20 gaols and claimed nine assists, with six of the goals and two of the assists coming in the Europa League.
The player who wears the number seven is part of an attack that has take ninth most shots in the Belgian Pro League, as well as an attack which creates the most chances following a high press.
It’s important to note that no player has scored more goals in the Europa League than Boniface, with Marcus Rashford also netting 6.
If Union SG are to continue their remarkable run they will need their star man to be at his very best.
Bayer Leverkusen - Jeremie Frimpong
In Alonso’s system, the widemen of the right hand side are of the upmost importance, with defensive ability required and attacking excellence demanded. Frimpong fits the role perfectly.
The young Dutch player, who is 22 years of age, has featured in every single game this season for Bayer Leverkusen, making 39 appearances.
The wingback, who more often than not finds himself in the final third, has eight goals and nine assists to his name, including providing both assists in Leverkusen’s 2-0 victory over Atletico Madrid earlier in the season.
Frimpong is a quick and energetic runner, looking for any opportunity to take players on and progress the play further up the pitch. He has the most successful number of take ons in the Bundesliga this year (82), as well as the most number of 10m+ progressive ball carries (162), always allowing his team to be aggressive and on the front foot.
In addition, Frimpong has struck up an excelling relationship with Moussa Diaby, with them combining for 8 goals in total this season in the Bundesliga, making them the most deadly duo.
Frimpong will be key in creating problems for the Union SG backline and in sending his side into their first European semi-final since the 2001-2002 season.
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Match Details
Where will the match be played?
The fixture will be played at Union SG’s city rival’s ground, Lotto Park, the home of R.S.C Anderlecht. This is due to it meeting UEFA requirements and being a larger stadium with a 22,000 capacity.
What time is kick-off?
The game will kick off at 20:00 BST on Thursday the 20th of April.
Where can I watch?
The game will be broadcasted live on BT Sport.
Last training before the big day. 💪
— Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (@UnionStGilloise) April 19, 2023
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