PSV Eindhoven will entertain Cercle Brugge at the De Herdgang, their training facility, in a friendly on Saturday.
The Dutch giants kicked off their pre-season last week with a 6-0 win against BW Lohne. Ruud van Nistelrooy, who wil take over as the full-time manager for the first team next season, started a strong team in the previous outing.
Eindhoven had finished second behind Ajax in the Eredivisie standings last campaign, finishing just two points behind their arch-rivals. They did beat the Amsterdam-based club in the KNVB final to secure silverware last season.
Brugge, meanwhile, had a modest end to their 2021-22 campaign. They played out back-to-back draws in their last two games of the season and could only finish tenth in the Belgian Pro League.
This will also be just the second game of their pre-season for the Belgian side. In their pre-season opener, they suffered a 1-0 defeat against Monaco.
PSV Eindhoven vs Cercle Brugge Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- This will be the first meeting between the two teams.
- PSV have taken on Belgian opponents 18 times across competitions. They have a mixed record in these fixtures, with nine wins and eight losses, while one game has ended in a draw.
- PSV concluded their 2021-22 campaign strongly, going undefeated in their last six games across competitions, recording five wins. They scored 86 goals in 34 league games but were poor defensively, conceding 42 goals.
- Brugge have faced Dutch opponents just two times, losing both games.
- Brugge had a poor goalscoring record in the Belgian Pro League last season, scoring 49 goals while conceding 46.
PSV Eindhoven vs Cercle Brugge Prediction
PSV are strong favourites in this fixture and have a clear advantage when it comes to squad quality. Their latest signing Xavi Simmons will not be available for the game, though.
Brugge, meanwhile, had a decent game against Monaco but failed to find the back of the net. It could be difficult for them to score against PSV, who should eke out a narrow win.
Prediction: PSV Eindhoven 3-0 Cercle Brugge.
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PSV Eindhoven vs Cercle Brugge Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - PSV Eindhoven.
Tip 2: Goals - Over/under 2.5 goals - Over 2.5.
Tip 3: Both teams to score - No.