Bruges could equal Standard and make history

This season, Standard has never been able to compete with the top clubs. Although the Reds haven’t clinched the title since 2009, they have come close at times.

One such instance was during the 2010-2011 season. A year after the introduction of playoffs, Standard secured sixth place and didn’t expect much given their initial lag. However, as matches progressed and victories piled up, things changed for Dominique D’Onofrio’s men.

Matching Standard?

So much so that going into the final matchday, the Liège team was tied on points with Genk. They faced Genk with the opportunity to claim the title with a victory. Eliaquim Mangala opened the scoring, and for half an hour, Standard was on the verge of becoming champions until Kennedy Nwanganga equalized in the 78th minute.

Standard ended up finishing second, but they had amassed an impressive 26 points out of a possible 30 during the playoffs. This is a points total that Club Bruges could match with a win in the derby against Cercle. However, unlike Standard, the Blue and Blacks don’t need to win to be crowned champions; a draw would also suffice.

As a reminder, after their draw against Genk, Standard went on to win the Belgian Cup a few days later against Westerlo. It’s a bygone era for a club that is now simply risking bankruptcy.