Union Saint-Gilloise vs Sporting Charleroi Preview & Prediction

When is Union Saint-Gilloise vs Sporting Charleroi on and what time does it start? Union Saint-Gilloise vs Sporting Charleroi will take place on Sunday 1st October, 2023 – 12:30 (UK)

Where can I get tickets for Union Saint-Gilloise vs Sporting Charleroi? Visit each team’s official website for the latest ticket information

Where can I watch Union Saint-Gilloise vs Sporting Charleroi in the UK? Union Saint-Gilloise vs Sporting Charleroi will not be televised live and cannot be streamed in the UK

THE LOWDOWN

UNION SAINT-GILLOISE

As an affiliate club of Brighton and Hove Albion, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise have the benefit of being run in a smart way, especially in terms of recruitment, and can comfortably deal with the loss of key players - as they are doing once again this season following the big money sale of the excellent Victor Boniface to Bayer Leverkusen.

Alexander Blessin’s Union SG began the season extremely well before a minor dip towards the end of August but they have recovered from that. They come into this on the back of a dramatic 3-2 win away to RWDM, in which they scored a 96th minute winner, to make it back-to-back Jupiler Pro League victories.

SPORTING CHARLEROI

Sporting Charleroi, alongside the likes of Sint-Truiden and Oud-Heverlee Leuven, are in a position whereby the reduction of the Jupiler Pro League from 18 to 16 teams will be a cause for concern. They re-appointed former Union SG and Anderlecht boss Felice Mazzu last season but he hasn’t quite made as big an impact as the club would have expected in his second stint as coach.

Charleroi begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting in the bottom four and the end of season relegation round playoff places. They began the campaign without a victory in their opening seven matches but did manage to defeat fellow strugglers Kortrijk by a goal to nil last weekend thanks to a first-half winner from Isaac Mbenza.

THE TEAM NEWS

UNION SAINT-GILLOISE

Union SG will be without their key forward for this weekend’s game against Charleroi as striker Dennis Eckert will be missing due to an injury.

PREDICTED XI (3-4-1-2): Moris; Mac Allister, Burgess, Machida; Castro-Montes, Vanhoutte, Puertas, Lapoussin; Amani; Nilsson, Amoura

UNAVAILABLE: Eckert (Injured)

QUESTIONABLE:

SPORTING CHARLEROI

Felice Mazzu has found things difficult this season with a range of injuries and the likes of James Van Cleemput remain doubts for the weekend’s trip to the capital.

PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Koffi; Bager, Marcq, Andreou; Rogelj, Ilaimaharitra, Zorgane, Dragsnes; Guiagon, Dabagh, Mbenza

UNAVAILABLE: Morioka (Injured), Bernier (Injured)

QUESTIONABLE: Knezevic (Injured), Tshiend (Injured), Van Cleemput (Injured), Benbouali (Injured)

THE PREDICTION

Royale Union Saint-Gilloise do have the potential distraction of a UEFA Europa League group stage encounter with Liverpool at Anfield on Thursday but they have coped well with balancing European competitions in the recent past, reaching the quarter-finals of that tournament last season alongside an impressive domestic campaign. Charleroi will be boosted by their win last weekend but this is a really tough test to go away from home for and a comfortable Union SG win is a good bet to back.