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The Great Old resumes the competition on Saturday evening with a top match against AA Gent. In the run-up to the match, Antwerp sees Dinis Almeida leave for the Bulgarian Ludogorets. Transfer target Daley Blind then opted for the German superpower Bayern Munich, the former club of Antwerp coach Mark van Bommel. “If Bayern intervenes, you have to accept that,” said the Dutchman.
Diederick Geypen
In his Friday press chat, Van Bommel called Blind’s choice for Bayern logical. “And I don’t say that to talk Antwerp down. A player who receives this offer must accept it. It’s a shame for us because Daley was a versatile player to have around. We will see if we can strengthen ourselves in a different way, although that is very difficult in the winter.”
All the more so because director of football affairs Marc Overmars dropped out with a small heart attack. “It is going in the right direction for him”, Van Bommel emphasized. “Marc has to take it easy, but we will keep in touch. His absence does not hinder the transfer process.”
With Almeida, Van Bommel loses a useful substitute, although the flush in the back becomes quite thin. “Of course we have thought about this. As a club, however, you also have to treat players well on a personal level. Dinis always behaved professionally and can now improve. Then it wouldn’t be right to hold him stubbornly.”
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6 injured, 4 doubtful cases and 1 suspension
Van Bommel could not say much about the many injuries. Engels, Haroun, Vines, Miyoshi, Yusuf and Verhulst remain out. Yusuf’s injury is taking longer than expected. “Yusuf has a foot problem that is causing some delay. We cannot put a deadline on his return,” Van Bommel emphasized.
De Laet has been suspended after his fifth yellow card. Ekkelenkamp, Scott, Valencia and Gerkens are still doubtful, so that Antwerp starts its busy monthly schedule with headaches. “The fact that we get all the top players one after the other, with a ‘Croky match’ against Genk in between, is really a coincidence. You can think of it as an early Champions play-off, but with more clubs. Ghent, which has not conceded a goal in four matches, immediately becomes a very tough one.”
9 op 27
After the 9 out of 27, Antwerp, despite the better football, has to pick up something again. Does Van Bommel experience a certain amount of pressure? “It is not surprising that this question comes up now. Yet, despite those results, we are not under great pressure, as you can see. I’d be worried if we played bad football. That is not the case. Moreover, with the exception of Genk, everyone is close to each other. If we continue on this momentum, we will eventually collect the points.”
