RSC Anderlecht followed their 4-1 league win over KVC Westerlo with a 2-0 Europa League victory against RB Salzburg, and head coach Vitor Bruno says the difference in that European night was his team’s attitude, VoetbalPrimeur.be reported. Speaking to Het Nieuwsblad after the match, Bruno said character and nerve decided the game. “Our attitude. To win this kind of match, you have to show character and courage above all, and we did that. I’m not surprised, but I am happy,” Bruno said.
The win against Salzburg sets up a difficult Belgian league assignment on Sunday: a visit to league leader Club Brugge at the Jan Breydelstadion in Bruges, where Anderlecht will need the same mentality, Bruno said.
Bruno Tips His Hat to Ivan Leko’s Club Brugge
After Club Brugge beat Inter Milan and PSV Eindhoven, Bruno was asked whether Anderlecht can beat the Jupiler Pro League leader. He said he watched Club’s match on Wednesday and found them in top form. “I saw them at work on Wednesday and what can I say about it… They are simply in top form right now. Big credits to Ivan Leko, for the way he has his team playing,” Bruno told reporters, according to VoetbalPrimeur.be.
VoetbalNieuws.be added that Bruno described Club Brugge as a top team with a very broad squad, both attacking and defending, and said all the credit goes to Leko. “If you can do that against PSV: hats off,” Bruno said, per La Dernière Heure as cited by VoetbalNieuws.be.
Forbs in Transition the Main Danger
Bruno is aware of the threat Club Brugge pose, particularly in the counterattack. “We will mainly have to make sure we don’t give players like Forbs space in the transition, because that’s when they are life-threatening,” Bruno said, per VoetbalPrimeur.be. “But just like tonight, character will be decisive.”
Speaking to La Dernière Heure as reported by VoetbalNieuws.be, Bruno said the message was already delivered in the dressing room: “We’re going to fight for every ball as if it were our last. And we absolutely cannot give them space, like we saw in their second goal against PSV.” He added that the team that wins is not necessarily the team with the most quality, but the team that wants the victory most.
Eight Points Separate the Two Sides
The stakes are clear in the standings: Club Brugge currently sit eight points ahead of Anderlecht in the Jupiler Pro League, VoetbalNieuws.be reported. A win for the hosts on Sunday would likely put Club Brugge definitively out of Anderlecht’s reach, though VoetbalNieuws.be noted Anderlecht is not targeting the title this season — that remains too high a goal for the purple-and-white side.
VoetbalNieuws.be described Club Brugge as the big favorite in the fixture and noted that Anderlecht hopes to put in a top performance both defensively and offensively at the Jan Breydelstadion, which will be necessary against a side in such strong form. Forwards Carlos Forbs and Nicolo Tresoldi were singled out as being “on fire” for the hosts.
Sikan Seizes His Chance in Salzburg
Ukrainian striker Danylo Sikan started against Salzburg after limited recent playing time, and he made the most of the opportunity, Voetbalkrant.com reported. Sikan battled through tough duels with Salzburg’s strong defenders, kept things simple, and was useful in combination play. He may have earned himself important points with an eye on the top match against Club Brugge.
“It was a difficult match, but a good result for us. It’s very important for the club to win in Europe, but also with the match in Belgium in mind,” Sikan said after the game.
Sikan accepted his role at Anderlecht after recently having to settle for a place on the bench or even no minutes at all. “Of course that’s difficult, but I have to focus on myself, work hard and think about the team. That’s part of the game too: sometimes you play, sometimes you don’t. For me, what matters most is what the team achieves,” he said, per Voetbalkrant.com.
He showed against Salzburg that he is comfortable dropping deeper to hold the ball, get involved and create chances, while remaining an attacker. Sikan also revealed a light moment: he let Ludwig Augustinsson take a free kick because the defender felt more comfortable in that position. “He said he felt good and I just told him to take it if he had the confidence. There was no discussion,” Sikan said with a laugh.
Sikan admitted he had not watched Club Brugge’s match against PSV. “I don’t always have time to watch football. I just want to play myself. I don’t watch matches every time. It’s better to play,” he said, according to Voetbalkrant.com. Against defenders Mechele and Spileers, Anderlecht can count on a striker on Sunday who does not shy away from a physical battle.
What Comes Next for Anderlecht
Anderlecht now turn their attention to the Jupiler Pro League top-of-the-table clash at Club Brugge’s Jan Breydelstadion, where Bruno has set the tone: fight for every ball, deny Forbs room on the counter, and let character decide the outcome just as it did against Salzburg.
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