Kairat Almaty vs Club Brugge injury news and predictions in Champions League

Need to know

Club Brugge take on Kairat Almaty in their penultimate Champions League clash in the league phase of the competition, with plenty at stake for both teams in the next few weeks of the competition.

Everything you need to know ahead of Kairat Almaty vs Club Brugge in the Champions League…

1. High stakes for Club Brugge: Club Brugge enter this penultimate league phase match sitting in 31st place and desperately in need of a victory to stay in contention for qualification to the next round. A win is essential to keep their hopes of reaching the top 24 alive, as anything less would result in their elimination from the tournament. The Belgian side currently holds four points after six matches played so far, while sitting three points off the top 24.
2. Kairat Almaty’s motivation: While the home side has only earned one point and face impossible odds for qualification, they still have plenty to play for. They are determined to make an impact on the competition by securing their first-ever win in the league phase.
3. Win prediction: Statistical analysis from OPTA suggests that Club Brugge are the clear favourites to win, with a 59% chance of taking all three points. In contrast, Kairat Almaty are given an 18% chance of winning, while the likelihood of a draw stands at 21%.
4. Kairat squad and injury updates: The home team will be boosted by the return of Dastan Satpayev to the squad for this critical fixture. However, they must cope without new signing Lucas Africo, due to registration rules, and Ofri Arad, who has joined FCSB in the winter transfer market.
5. Club Brugge goalkeeping crisis: Club Brugge face a significant challenge in goal as both Simon Mignolet and Dani van den Heuvel are expected to miss the trip through. This situation means Nordin Jackers is the likely candidate to start between the sticks for the visitors.
6. Further Club Brugge injury concerns: The visitors are also monitoring the fitness of Christos Tzolis, Romeo Vermant, and Lynnt Audoor, who are all considered doubts. Midfielder Raphael Onyedika is unlikely to feature in the match following his recent international duties at AFCON with Nigeria.
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