Anderlecht vs Häcken: Europa League Prediction (25.07.2025)

On Thursday, July 25 at 01:00 WIB, Lotto Park Stadium in Anderlecht will host the first leg of the UEFA Europa League 2025–2026 qualifying tie between local club Anderlecht and Häcken from Gothenburg. The hosts reached this stage as the fourth-placed team in the Belgian Jupiler League 2024–2025. The visitors, meanwhile, earned their spot by winning the Swedish Cup and eliminated Spartak Trnava in the previous Europa League qualifying round.

In the Anderlecht vs Häcken clash, bookmakers clearly favor the Belgian side. A home win for the Purple and Whites is priced at 1.41, while their odds of advancing to the next round stand at 1.43. For the Wasps, the same markets offer odds of 6.90 and 2.70 respectively. Football analysts expect a fairly high-scoring match: over 2.5 total goals is offered at 1.59, and both teams to score is at 1.77.

Anderlecht

Supporters had expected a more successful performance from the Purple and Whites in the championship group of the national league. In March, ahead of the decisive phase of the season, the club’s management even appointed a new head coach — Albanian specialist Besnik Hasi. However, hopes were not fulfilled, and Anderlecht lost six out of their final ten matches in the Jupiler League.

Several young players joined the team in June, but it’s clear they won’t immediately strengthen the squad. The club is preparing for the new season through friendly matches. In early July, several games were played, with notable opponents including AEK Larnaca from Cyprus and Raków from Poland.

Häcken

The Wasps had a disappointing season in the Swedish championship, finishing only eighth in 2024 — a poor result for the 2022 champions. Unsurprisingly, ahead of the 2025 Allsvenskan season, the club appointed a new coach, Jens Gustafsson.

However, by the halfway point of the current campaign, it became clear that last season’s failure wasn’t just due to coaching. The team realistically only competes at the mid-table level of Swedish football. Currently, Häcken sit in ninth place. In the return leg against Slovakian side Spartak, they were lucky to avoid extra time thanks to a 96th-minute goal. Overall, the team didn’t appear stronger than their opponent.

Stats and Head-to-Head Record

Thursday’s match will be the first-ever meeting between the two clubs.

Prediction

The Belgian side may not be a powerhouse today, but the Swedish team has shown it struggles even against far more modest opponents. The bet is on Anderlecht with a -1 handicap at odds of 1.65.