Zagreb vs Club Brugge Preview

Zagreb vs Club Brugge Preview

 

Club Brugge chairman Pol Jonckheere believes a draw will be a good result from his team's trip to Dinamo Zagreb.

The Belgians sit bottom of Group D with just a single point from their opening two games and a defeat is likely to cut them adrift at the halfway stage.
Jonckheere is, however, unwilling to put pressure on his players, which have won just two of their past 11 away European ties, and who will be without star striker Ronald Vargas for the trip to the Croatian capital.
The Venezuelan has scored nine goals in his past 11 matches but is suspended after he was sent off in their 2-1 defeat at Villarreal three weeks ago.
"We will miss Vargas," Jonckheere told www.belgiumsoccer.be.
"But in the Jupiler League we are playing some good football and against Villarreal we really were not bad.
"We narrowly lost 2-1 with 10 men against one of the better teams in the world.
"We will have to compete against Dinamo - they are a good team. Croatian footballers can never be underestimated.
"It sounds pessimistic but a victory is not necessary. A draw seems to be considered as the minimum.
"It is regrettable that we will be without Vargas because he is very important to us."
The Belgians could also be without Jonathan Blondel for the match after he missed training today with a virus while Stijn Stijnen is still out injured.
Wilfried Dalmat and Jeroen Simaeys, who were suspended in the 3-2 win over Zulte-Waregem last Friday night, are due to return.
Dinamo began their Europa League campaign with a stunning 2-0 home success over group favourites Villarreal before falling to a 1-0 defeat at PAOK Salonika.
That has left them second in the group and knowing that victory against Brugge would leave them in a strong position to qualify from the group.
They will, however, be wary of the fact they were beaten by Belgian opposition in in the group stage of the competition last season, when Anderlecht snatched a 2-0 win at the Maksimir Stadium.

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