Unlike many other professional sports competitions, the Belgian Pro Football Championship, known as the Jupiler Pro League due to its naming contract with the famous Belgian beer manufacturer Jupiler, has a unique format that distinguishes it. While it may not be among the top five most competitive national leagues in Europe, its chosen formula is certainly noteworthy.
The Jupiler Pro League, a unique organization
The Belgian professional championship is managed quite differently from most of its European sister counterparts. Similar to American sports and its famous playoffs. Based on this model, the 2020/2021 regular season allows the first four teams classified in the standings to earn a ticket to the final phase of the competition that will assign the title of champion. Every club keeps half of the points obtained during the classic season. The clubs play against each other in a mini-championship, playing twice against the three fellow competitors. In the end, the team that has acquired most of the points becomes a champion of the Jupiler Pro League. During this very period, the team qualifies for the main round of the Champions League next season.
Bruges and others
Defending champion FC Bruges is well on its way to retaining its crown. Despite failing to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League with a balanced record of two wins, two draws, and two losses against Dortmund, Lazio, and Zenit Saint Petersburg, the Bruges club is in control of its domestic championship. Currently, the team in the best form, FC Bruges, is on a run of six successive victories. As this writing period goes, the top of the standings is still undefeated this year and the odd-on favorite with online bookmakers. And its competitors are relegated quite far behind. First of all, it is important to note that the men managed by Philippe Clement currently enjoy almost a perfect run. Their sporting record is exceptional, conceding four losses and obtaining three draws in twenty-four games played. The collective in place is united, the defence is well-oiled, and the attack is having a great time in front of the opponent’s goal.
Antwerp, lying in second place, conceded twice as many defeats and let in twice as many goals compared to its predecessor. Having finished the podium with the same number of points as the runner-up, Genk is counting on the presence in its ranks of Paul Onuachu-the league’s top scorer this season, with twenty-two goals in twenty-four games to finish the season high. This may not be sufficient to take away the title from Bruges. Fourth-placed Standard sits on an ejection seat. It will indeed be a very tight and interesting race to the last qualifying seat for the playoffs. No fewer than seven clubs can reasonably consider stealing this position from them, namely Anderlecht, Oostende, Leuven, Charleroi, Beerschot, Mechelen, and Gent. Most of the teams involved in the competition have about ten games left to play.
