Royal Antwerp FC head into a important top match against Club Brugge with significant uncertainty following another league defeat. Marvin Compper's team lost 1-0 away to Standard on Saturday evening.
This defeat follows earlier home losses to Racing Genk (4-4) and STVV (1-4). Antwerp currently sit tenth in the standings with seven points from five matches. The team has scored ten goals and conceded ten, resulting in a goal difference of zero. They trail leaders Union St. Gilloise by six points.
Arthur Vermeeren, aged 21, made his return for Antwerp at Sclessin. The midfielder, however, had only participated in one team training session prior to the match. Coach Marvin Compper showed understanding for the situation. "We moeten daar begrip voor hebben. Arthur trainde nog maar één keer mee en mist ritme," Compper said.
Álvaro Cortés, also 21, made his debut for the club. The left-footed player, who was permanently signed from FC Barcelona, was deployed as a left-sided central defender. These adjustments in defence, with Yuto Tsunashima replacing Rein Van Helden and Maxime Busi at right-back, could not secure a clean sheet.
Against Standard, Antwerp opted for a 4-4-2 formation. In attack, Ibrahim Salah played as a second striker alongside Michael Frey. This setup, however, did not produce the desired goals. Creativity and finishing were lacking, resulting in a third match in a row without a win.
The coming weeks are important for the team. The next test is an away match against Club Brugge KV, who are currently second, on 13 September 2026.
Beyond immediate sporting results, the club faces other issues. Several contracts are expiring next summer, a situation that chairman Paul Gheysens and sporting director Marc Overmars are also dealing with. There is also rumoured interest in a possible return for Toby Alderweireld, but that remains speculation for now.
Captain Thibo Somers is trying to stay positive despite the setbacks. "In de breedte zijn we sterker dan vorig jaar. We verliezen nu twee keer op rij, maar we mogen toch vooruitkijken," Somers stated. The team's recent form has been mixed, with a sequence of loss, loss, draw, win, win in their last five league games.
The recent passing of club legend László Fazekas at the age of 78 has also affected the club community. On the pitch, Antwerp must now find stability quickly. The complete standings show how tight the mid-table is in the league. The away match against Club Brugge, a team they defeated last season, is the next opportunity to pick up points and give direction to their campaign.
