Facing a challenging start to the Jupiler Pro League season with no wins under new coach Nicky Hayen, KRC Genk now turns its attention to the UEFA Europa league for a potential turnaround [[1]].The Belgian club, placed in Pot 4 for the League Phase draw [[1]], hopes European competition will offer a diffrent atmosphere and prospect to build momentum. Despite acknowledging physical conditioning concerns, Genk aims to replicate its preferred style of play on the continental stage and avoid the Europa League playoff round.
Genk Turns to Europa League for Spark
Genk is increasingly looking to the Europa League for a boost as their domestic form continues to falter. Under new coach Nicky Hayen, the team is still searching for its first victory in the Jupiler Pro League, a trend that continued this weekend with a late goal from Cercle Brugge spoiling their chances.
The Europa League now presents an opportunity to reignite their season. “In Europe, you can feel the joy,” Hayen stated in a press conference. “Perhaps because there’s less pressure on those matches, even though we really want to avoid the playoff round.”
“We want to play dominant football and press high, but that requires strong physical conditioning. We’re currently falling short in that area, and we want to correct that as quickly as possible.”
Genk’s struggles in the Belgian league highlight the importance of a strong showing in European competition, where a different dynamic and potentially less intense scrutiny could prove beneficial. The team will be aiming to demonstrate improvement in their upcoming Europa League fixture.
“We want to play dominant football and high press, but then the physical parameters are very important. We are currently behind the facts, but want to fix that as soon as possible.” Will we see improvement tonight?
