Against All Odds: Cercle to take something from Brugges derby

The Cercle Brugges players could be celebrating tonight

Club Brugge are quite long-odds on for their match with local rivals Cercle Brugge but with a hot atmosphere in place, Paul Robinson thinks the underdogs can take something from the game.

Cercle Brugge are having a dire season to date and they are rock bottom of the Belgian Jupiler League with just 14 points from 27 matches. They've lost their last six straight and haven't won in 11 fixtures. Foeke Booy was appointed as manager in November and he didn't get off to too bad a start as under his guidance the team avoided defeat in five of their first seven, including a win over Genk, but since then the wheels have started to come off.

One positive though is that the Green and Black have found success in the Cup. They have made it through to the semi-finals and not only did they win both legs of their quarter-final with KV Oostende, they knocked out today's opponents, 1-0, in the last 16. It is also interesting to note that at their home of the Jan Breydel Stadium, Cercle have lost just two of their last seven league games, both by a single goal margin.

Club Brugge have had a disappointing campaign thus far. Last year's second placed finishers are down in sixth this term, didn't make it through to the Champions League group phase and managed just four points in their Europa League group. They were also knocked out of the Belgian Cup as mentioned above.

Interestingly though, due to how the Jupiler League works in Belgium, they only need to finish in the top six to qualify for the Champion Play-Off, and they have a four point cushion to seventh with a game in hand.

While tonight's match is strictly an away fixture, the two club's share the same ground, so the players will feel more at home than for a standard away game. Nevertheless, Juan Carlos Garrido's men have won just one of their last half dozen in the league, and they were trailing in that match till their opponents had a man sent off on the hour mark.

Club Brugge are clearly the more likely to win this evening, however their odds represent little value. That's why at around the 1.654/6 mark, I have to make them my lay of the day. 

Recommended Bet
Lay Club Brugge v Cercle Brugge @ 1.654/6

This match will be shown on Betfair Live Video at 19:30

2013 P/L (1pt each bet)

Wagered: 58 pts
Returned: 53.35 pts
P/L – 4.65 pts (after commission)
(2012 P/L: + 9.60 pts)