Matchday in focus: Union Saint-Gilloise | OneFootball

Union Saint-Gilloise’s coach Alexander Blessin sets great store by physicality and work-rate. The Belgian side are quick on the ball, with Cameron Amoura and Mohammed Puertas forming the heart of their attack.

‘Press until you drop!’ appears to be the secret to success at Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, whose high-octane approach has helped them climb to the top of Belgium’s Jupiler Pro League. Under German head coach Alexander Blessin, the Brussels-based outfit usually operate in a 3-5-2 system.

“Finding solutions in our build-up play against a team who press high is never easy,” board member for sport Markus Krösche said of Blessin’s charges. “We need to find the right balance – we need to be controlled in our build-up but play with determination in attack and exploit the spaces to play around their press.”

Full-blooded tackles and quick transitions

Another key aspect of the Belgian side’s game is their physicality. Union finished third in UEFA Europa League Group E earlier this season but in six group matches, they committed more fouls (90) than any other team at that stage of the competition. When Blessin’s team win possession, they aim to get the ball forward using quick transitions – an approach which has been particularly effective in the Belgian top flight, where Union have scored 54 goals so far. Cameron Puertas is an excellent crosser of the ball and Union’s provider-in-chief, registering more goal involvements than any of his team-mates this season. The 25-year-old and Mohammed Amoura, Union’s top marksman this term, have racked up 26 goals and 20 assists across all competitions.

Absentees

Union will be without 20-year-old Fedde Leysen (shoulder) against Eintracht.

As for the Eagles, Hugo Larsson misses out through injury, while January signings Donny van de Beek and Jean-Mattéo Bahoya have not been named in Dino Toppmöller’s squad for the UEFA Europa Conference League knockout stages.

One to watch: Mohammed Amoura

Amoura has played a major role in Union’s successful campaign so far. The 23-year-old Algerian, who joined the Belgian club last summer, is firmly on course for the most prolific season of his career to date, having found the net 20 times in all competitions

Stats and runs

Eintracht have played 214 passes inside the opposition penalty area in the Europa Conference League so far this term – more than any other team in the competition.

Union allowed only 98 passes inside their own penalty area during the UEFA Europa League group stage – only four teams boasted better records.

Eintracht’s Farès Chaïbi has registered more assists (four) than any other player in the UEFA Europa Conference League this season.