Cercle Brugge KSV vs Jagiellonia prediction: EUROPE: Conference League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2025-03-12 17:45.
[p]Cercle Brugge were thumped 3-0 in Poland by Jagiellonia Białystok in the first leg of this UEFA Conference League last-16 tie last Thursday, conceding three goals in a nine-minute spell after seeing a man sent off. That result was then compounded by a 3-1 derby defeat against Club Brugge on Sunday (3-1), causing them to slip into the Jupiler Pro League’s relegation group and meaning that their winless run has now stretched to eight games in all competitions (D5, L3).[/p]
[p]Despite finishing eighth in the league phase and therefore qualifying for the last 16 of the Conference League automatically, Cercle’s first European venture since the 2010/11 campaign appears to be all but over. They need to score at least three goals to have any chance of an unlikely progression, something that Ferdinand Feldhofer’s side haven’t achieved since his first game in charge against Olimpija Ljubljana (4-1) back in December.[/p]
[p]Jagiellonia finished a place below Cercle in the league phase, so had to come through the play-off round to reach this stage. Including last week’s first-leg rout, they have now won seven of their last ten games in all competitions (D1, L2) and remain in the hunt for a second successive Polish top-flight title, as well as being extremely well placed to reach the quarter-finals here.[/p]
[p]Notably though, Jaga have won only two of their last seven away matches (D2, L3) and saw their last European journey come to an end at the hands of another Belgian side in the shape of Gent back in 2018. Three successive clean sheets should ease any lingering nerves, while Adrian Siemieniec’s men haven’t lost a game by 3+ goals since mid-September, so should be hugely confident of securing a quarter-final tie against either Real Betis or Vitória Guimarães.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Five of Cercle wing-back Flávio Nazinho’s eight bookings this season have come after the hour mark. In a somewhat similar vein, four of Jagiellonia midfielder Kristoffer Hansen’s five goal involvements so far this term in the Conference League (G4, A1) have come on or beyond the hour mark.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Cercle have won seven of their ten home games in UEFA competitions (D1, L2), but lost their only-ever previous meeting on their own patch with a Polish side (4-1 vs Wisła Kraków).[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ben Olawumi[/i][/p]