KAA Gent have navigated the Conference League League Phase draw and will face a series of intriguing opponents. The Buffaloes will play at home against Crvena Zvezda and away at Braga, among other fixtures, as confirmed after the draw in Nyon.
The full draw was reported by Sporza Voetbal. The League Phase starts on October 15th and Gent will play six matches. The home games are against Serbian side Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade), Norwegian club Brann, and Danish champions Aarhus GF. The away trips are to Portuguese side SC Braga, Finnish team KuPS, and Swiss champions FC Thun.
What does the draw mean for Gent?
The draw offers KAA Gent a solid chance to reach the knockout phase. That is the assessment following the publication of the groups. The opposition is varied, but none of the clubs are insurmountable. Red Star Belgrade is a famous name in Europe, but the other opponents are teams Gent should not be intimidated by.
The path to the next round looks achievable. That is significant for the club, who currently sit fifth in the Jupiler Pro League with six points from two games. They have scored four goals and conceded one. The next test is a key match against leaders Club Brugge, a fixture you can find on our fixtures page.
Who are Gent's opponents?
Crvena Zvezda is the most renowned opponent. The Serbian club has a rich European history. SC Braga from Portugal is a regular in European competitions and likely represents the toughest challenge in the group.
The other clubs are surprise champions. Aarhus GF were unexpected Danish champions last season. They were first eliminated in Champions League qualifying by Sabah and then in the Europa League by Benfica. FC Thun from Switzerland were also surprise domestic champions. Norwegian side Brann has performed well in recent seasons in the shadow of Bødo/Glimt. KuPS from Finland have won the Finnish league title several times.
What does the schedule look like?
UEFA has released the dates for the League Phase. The matches will be played across six matchdays. The first is on Thursday, October 15th, followed by matches on October 22nd, November 5th, November 26th, December 10th, and December 17th. The full schedule with exact kick-off times will be announced on a Sunday.
For clubs that progress, the play-offs are scheduled for February 18th and 25th. The round of 16 is set for March 11th and 18th. Gent's current form, with two consecutive wins, provides confidence for the European campaign. You can follow the team's current statistics on our stats page.
What is the context for the Belgian clubs?
Besides Gent, STVV are also participating in the Conference League League Phase. They received a tougher draw, with home games against Ajax and away trips to Midtjylland and Hajduk Split. STVV were eliminated from the Europa League qualifiers the day before the draw.
For KAA Gent, the focus now is first on the domestic league. They are three points behind Club Brugge and have a crucial match against the leaders coming up. A good result there would be the perfect preparation for their European adventures. The current league standings can be followed on our standings page. The Buffaloes have the opportunity to prove themselves in two competitions.
