Ahead of Arsenal's Champions League trip to Belgium: Focus on Club Brugge

Here's Tim Cooper with his regular Champions League series on Arsenal's opponents as Club Brugge loom

Previously known as Club Bruges, and known to their fans as simply “Club” (or Blue-Black, after their club colours), the Belgian league runners-up have always been off the radar of most English fans, mainly by dint of not being in one of the “big five” European clubs. But, despite being pipped to last season’s title by Gent, the 19-time Belgian champions are regulars in the Champions League.

They even reached the final of the old European Cup back in 1978 when they were beaten by Liverpool, and were quarter finalists the previous year. Having said that, since it became the Champions League have never progressed further than the Round of 16 where they were knocked out last season by Aston Villa and, two years previously (they reached the Conference League semifinal in between) by Benfica.

Without much money to play with, they’ve strengthened modestly over the summer, bringing in the teenage Inter midfielder Aleksandar Stankovich as their marquee signing for £8 million. On the debit side, they cashed in on three of their best players, selling full back Max de Cuyper to Brighton and Moroccan winger Chelmsdine Talbi to Sunderland, both for around £18 million, and Swiss midfielder Ardon Jashari to Milan for £31 million.

They’ve started the new season with two domestic wins in the Belgian Pro League but made headlines when they humiliated Rangers in the Champions League play-offs 9-1 on aggregate, suggesting they can raise their game on occasion - albeit against lesser opposition than the Arsenal. 

Players to watch include Greek winger Christos Tzolis, once of Norwich, and Norwegian striker Gustaf Nilsson.

Trivia fact: Their home, the 29,000-seat Jan Breydel Stadium, in the Flemish-speaking Sint Andries district of Bruges, is named after a butcher and revolutionary who led a rising against the city’s French rulers that led to the unfortunately named 1302 Battle of the Golden Spurs. It is shared with their less successful city rivals Cercle Bruges.