Leuven kicked off their 2024-25 season with a goalless draw against Beerschot on July 27. Despite their dominance in attack, they couldn’t secure a win. They managed nine shots and six attempts within Beerschot’s penalty area, restricting their opponents to a single shot. However, only two of their nine attempts were on target, and they held possession just 49% of the time.

Oscar Garcia, who took the reins in November 2023 when the club was in the relegation zone, is the current manager. Under his leadership, the team scored 34 goals and conceded 47 in 30 regular season matches last term, ranking them as the 11th best offensive and best defensive team in the division. They concluded the season with four victories in their last six home games at Den Reef, despite a 2-1 defeat to Westerlo in their last home game on May 25.

Genk, their upcoming opponents, also started their season with a 0-0 draw. Their match against Standard Liege on July 28 was even more disappointing than Leuven’s draw against Beerschot. Despite having 20 shots, 75% possession, and creating more than 2 expected goals (xG), they failed to secure a win. On the bright side, Thorsten Fink, who took over as manager in June, can take solace in the fact that his team was defensively solid, limiting Standard Liege to just four shots and one within their penalty area.

Last season, Fink’s team netted 51 goals and conceded 31, making them the sixth-best offensive and joint fourth-best defensive team in the division. However, their away form was a concern towards the end of the 2023-24 season, with four consecutive losses and only two wins in 11 top-flight away matches.

SportAi365 predicts that both teams will score.