2023–24 Royal Antwerp F.C. season

Royal Antwerp F.C.
2023–24 season
Manager	Mark van Bommel
Stadium	Bosuilstadion
Pro League	6th
Belgian Cup	Runners-up
Belgian Super Cup	Winners
UEFA Champions League	Group stage
Top goalscorer	League: ; Vincent Janssen (11); All: ; Vincent Janssen (17)
Average home league attendance	13,141
	← 2022–23 2024–25 →

The 2023–24 season was Royal Antwerp Sporting Club's 144th season in existence and seventh consecutive in the Belgian Pro League. They also competed in the Belgian Cup and the Belgian Super Cup, as well as the UEFA Champions League for the first time.

Players

First-team squad

As of 9 February 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	FRA	Jean Butez
2	DF	BEL	Ritchie De Laet
3	DF	BEL	Björn Engels
5	DF	NED	Owen Wijndal (on loan from AFC Ajax)
6	MF	BEL	Eliot Matazo (on loan from AS Monaco)
7	FW	SUR	Gyrano Kerk (on loan from Lokomotiv Moscow)
8	MF	NGA	Alhassan Yusuf
9	FW	NGA	George Ilenikhena
10	FW	BEL	Michel-Ange Balikwisha
17	FW	SWE	Jacob Ondrejka
18	FW	NED	Vincent Janssen
19	FW	NGA	Chidera Ejuke (on loan from CSKA Moscow)
23	DF	BEL	Toby Alderweireld (captain)


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
24	MF	NED	Jurgen Ekkelenkamp
27	MF	BEL	Mandela Keita (on loan from OH Leuven)
33	DF	BEL	Zeno Van Den Bosch
34	DF	BEL	Jelle Bataille
44	DF	FRA	Soumaïla Coulibaly (on loan from Borussia Dortmund)
46	MF	BEL	Milan Smits
55	FW	ECU	Anthony Valencia
84	MF	MLI	Mahamadou Doumbia
87	GK	BEL	Davino Verhulst
91	GK	BEL	Senne Lammens
—	MF	NIG	Moustapha Amadou Sabo (on loan from Hammarby IF)
—	DF	BEL	Dorian Dessoleil

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
30	MF	GER	Christopher Scott (at Hannover 96)
50	DF	KOS	Laurit Krasniqi (at Roda JC Kerkrade)
80	MF	BEL	Pierre Dwomoh (at RWDM)

Transfers

In

Pos.	Player	Transferred from	Fee	Date	Source
MF	Eliot Matazo	AS Monaco	On loan	1 February 2024
MF	Mahamadou Doumbia	JMG Academy Bamako	Undisclosed	6 September 2023
DF	Owen Wijndal	AFC Ajax	On loan	5 September 2023
DF	Mamane Moustapha Amadou Sabo	Hammarby IF	On loan	24 August 2023
DF	Soumaïla Coulibaly	Borussia Dortmund	On loan	11 August 2023
MF	Mandela Keita	OH Leuven	On loan	10 August 2023
FW	Chidera Ejuke	CSKA Moscow	On loan	30 July 2023
FW	Gyrano Kerk	FC Lokomotiv Moscow	On loan	5 July 2023
FW	George Ilenikhena	Amiens	€ 6,000,000	1 July 2023
GK	Senne Lammens	Club Brugge	Free	1 July 2023	^[1]
FW	Jacob Ondrejka	Elfsborg	€ 1,700,000	1 July 2023	^[2]

Out

Pos.	Player	Transferred to	Fee	Date
FW	Arbnor Muja	Samsunspor	€ 2,000,000	9 February 2024
FW	Michael Frey	Queens Park Rangers	Undisclosed	28 January 2024
MF	Arthur Vermeeren	Atlético Madrid	€ 18,000,000	26 January 2024
DF	Sam Vines	Colorado Rapids	Undisclosed	22 January 2024
GK	Ortwin De Wolf	Zulte Waregem	€ 300,000	9 January 2024
MF	Birger Verstraete	Aris Thessaloniki	Undisclosed	11 September 2023
MF	Frank Boya	Amiens SC	€ 3,000,000	1 September 2023
DF	Gastón Ávila	AFC Ajax	€ 12,500,000	22 August 2023
FW	Viktor Fischer		Contract terminated	30 June 2023
DF	Willian Pacho	Eintracht Frankfurt	€ 13,650,000
MF	Alexis De Sart	RWDM	€ 500,000
FW	Koji Miyoshi	Birmingham City	End of contract
MF	Pieter Gerkens	AA Gent	End of contract
MF	Faris Haroun		Retired

Notes

Pre-season and friendlies

The team will start preparations with a test match versus second-tier side Lierse on 1 July behind closed doors.^[3]

1 July 2023 Friendly	Antwerp	1–1	Lierse Kempenzonen	Antwerp, Belgium
11:30	Ilenikhena 66' (pen.)		Yasser 77'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 0

8 July 2023 Friendly	Antwerp	0–3	AEK Athens	Antwerp, Belgium
13:45			van Weert 56' Zine 61' Kosidis 81'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 0
Note: Four periods of 30 minutes.

16 July 2023 Friendly	Antwerp	1–0	Hertha BSC	Saalfelden (Austria)
	Balikwisha 52'			Stadium: 1508 Saalfelden Arena Attendance: 0

9 October 2023 Friendly	Antwerp	1–1	Sint-Truiden
13:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Valencia		Zahiroleslam 80'

Competitions

Overall record

Competition	First match	Last match	Starting round	Final position	Record
Competition	First match	Last match	Starting round	Final position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Belgian Pro League Regular season	28 July 2023	26 May 2024	Matchday 1		30	14	10	6	55	27	+28	046.67
Champions' Play-offs	30 March 2024	26 May 2024	Matchday 1		8	1	0	7	4	16	−12	012.50
Belgian Cup	1 November 2023	9 May 2024	Seventh round	Runner-up	6	4	1	1	16	7	+9	066.67
Belgian Super Cup	23 July 2023			Winners	1	0	1	0	1	1	+0	000.00
UEFA Champions League	22 August 2023	13 December 2023	Play-off round		8	3	0	5	9	18	−9	037.50
Total					53	22	12	19	85	69	+16	041.51

Last updated: 12 May 2024
Source: Soccerway

Belgian Pro League

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Union SG	30	21	7	2	63	31	+32	70	Qualification for the Europa League and champions' play-offs^[a]
2	Anderlecht	30	18	9	3	58	30	+28	63	Qualification for the champions' play-offs
3	Antwerp	30	14	10	6	55	27	+28	52
4	Club Brugge	30	14	9	7	62	29	+33	51
5	Cercle Brugge	30	14	5	11	44	34	+10	47

Source: Jupiler Pro League (in Dutch), Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Matches won; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Away matches won; 6) Away goal difference; 7) Away goals scored; 8) Play-off.^[4]
Notes:

^ The regular season winner qualified for the 2024–25 UEFA Europa League if not earning 2024–25 UEFA Champions League in the play-off.

Results summary


Overall								Home						Away
Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
30	14	10	6	55	27	+28	52	9	6	1	34	10	+24	5	4	5	21	17	+4

Last updated: 17 March 2024.
Source: ^{[citation needed]}

Results by round

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
Ground	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H
Result	W	L	W	D	D	D	W	D	D	W	L	L	W	W	D	W	W	D	D	L	W	L	W	W	W	L	D	W	W	D
Position	4	8	4	5	5	8	5	6	5	4	6	7	6	5	5	4	4	4	5	6	6	6	5	4	4	4	4	4	4	3

Updated to match(es) played on 17 March 2024. Source: ^{[citation needed]}
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

The league fixtures were announced on 22 June 2023.^[5]

30 July 2023 1	Antwerp	1–0	Cercle Brugge	Antwerp
13:30 CEST (UTC+2)	Daland 45+1' (o.g.)	Report	Ravych 58' Francis 72'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 12,277 Referee: Jonathan Lardot

6 August 2023 2	Anderlecht	1–0	Antwerp	Anderlecht
13:30 CEST (UTC+2)	Dolberg 45+5' (pen.) Patris 90+3'	Report	Balikwisha 38'	Stadium: Lotto Park Referee: Jasper Vergoote

11 August 2023 3	Antwerp	6–0	Kortrijk	Antwerp
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)	Janssen 10', 36', 58' Wasinski 22' (o.g.) Kerk 44' Muja 67'	Report	Wasinski 48' Mbayo 53'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 15,447 Referee: Jan Boterberg

18 August 2023 4	OH Leuven	1–1	Antwerp	Leuven
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)	Vlietinck 25' Mendyl 48' 87' Sagrado 82', 90+4'	Report	Janssen 27', 34' Vermeeren 43'	Stadium: Den Dreef Attendance: 6,595 Referee: Lawrence Visser

3 September 2023 6	Union SG	2–2	Antwerp	Saint-Gilles
16:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Eckert 4' (pen.) Nilsson 87' (pen.) Amoura 90+4'	Report	Coulibaly 7' Vines 23' Ekkelenkamp 44' Vermeeren 81'	Stadium: Joseph Marien Stadium Attendance: 6,890 Referee: Jan Boterberg

15 September 2023 7	Westerlo	0–3	Antwerp	Westerlo
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)	Bayram 18' Sydorchuk 47' Van den Keybus 72'	Report	Janssen 16' Bataille 68' Muja 84'	Stadium: Het Kuipje Attendance: 7,300 Referee: Lothar D'hondt

23 September 2023 8	Antwerp	0–0	RWD Molenbeek	Antwerp
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)		Report	Reine-Adelaide 90+6'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 12,682 Referee: Wim Smet

27 September 2023 5	Antwerp	0–0	Gent	Antwerp
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)	Muja 44' Kerk 45' Ekkelenkamp 82'		Torunarigha 54'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 13,077 Referee: Nicolas Laforge
Note: The match scheduled for 26 August 2023 was postponed due to the UEFA Champions League play-offs.

30 September 2023 9	KV Mechelen	0–0	Antwerp	Mechelen
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)			Janssen 64'	Stadium: Achter de Kazerne Attendance: 14,963 Referee: Jan Boterberg

8 October 2023 10	Antwerp	4–1	Eupen	Antwerp
16:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Vermeeren 14' Balikwisha 33' Paeshuyse 61' (o.g.) Muja 90'		Nuhu 11' Baiye 74' Magnée 84'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 12,100 Referee: Bram Van Driessche

21 October 2023 11	Charleroi	3–2	Antwerp	Charleroi
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)	Knezevic 16' Štulić 50' Ilaimaharitra 60', 65' (pen.), 88' (pen.)		Ekkelenkamp 56' Ilenikhena 77' Balikwisha 86' Alderweireld 90+2'	Stadium: Stade du Pays de Charleroi Attendance: 7,700 Referee: Wesli De Cremer

29 October 2023 12	Club Brugge	2–1	Antwerp	Bruges
13:30 CEST (UTC+2)	Nielsen 35' Mechele 38' Jutglà 45' Skov Olsen 69' Vanaken 90' De Cuyper 90+3'		Yusuf 15' Ilenikhena 72'	Stadium: Jan Breydel Stadium Attendance: 23,724 Referee: Bram Van Driessche

4 November 2023 13	Antwerp	3–2	Genk	Antwerp
20:45 CET (UTC+1)	Janssen 5', 47' Balikwisha 11', 39' Muja 51' Yusuf 68'		Zeqiri 45' Paintsil 45+2' Hrošovský 45+5' El Khannous 68' Bonsu Baah 90+2' Muñoz 90+9'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 16,071 Referee: Lothar D'hondt

11 November 2023 14	Antwerp	6–0	Standard Liège	Antwerp
16:00 CET (UTC+1)	Janssen 4', 14' (pen.) Ekkelenkamp 33' Muja 41' Bataille 49' Ilenikhena 74' Balikwisha 86' Van den Bosch 89'		Vanheusden 38' Djenepo 78'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 14,000 Referee: Jonathan Lardot

24 November 2023 15	STVV	1–1	Antwerp	Sint-Truiden
20:45 CET (UTC+1)	Steuckers 42' Godeau 46' Koita 63'		Ejuke 81' Kerk 90+1' Janssen 90+6'	Stadium: Stayen Attendance: 7,024 Referee: Bert Put

2 December 2023 16	Antwerp	1–0	OH Leuven	Antwerp
20:45 CET (UTC+1)	Balikwisha 44'		Schrijvers 57' Mendyl 72' N'Dri 88'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 12,000 Referee: Brent Staessens

9 December 2023 17	Cercle Brugge	1–3	Antwerp	Bruges
16:00 CET (UTC+1)	Utkus 38' Daland 45+4' Denkey 70' Ravych 75' Somers 86'		Ekkelenkamp 20' Ejuke 57' Ilenikhena 90+7', 90+8'	Stadium: Jan Breydel Stadium Attendance: 4,178 Referee: Nathan Verboomen

17 December 2023 18	Antwerp	1–1	Anderlecht	Antwerp
18:30 CET (UTC+1)	Ilenikhena 67', 89' Ekkelenkamp 70'		Leoni 8' Augustinsson 17' Vertonghen 67' Dreyer 70' Debast 90+2'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Erik Lambrechts

23 December 2023 19	Antwerp	2–2	Westerlo	Antwerp
18:15 CET (UTC+1)	Muja 45+1' Ekkelenkamp 57' Alderweireld 85', 90+5'		Stassin 71', 77' Jordanov 74'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 12,765 Referee: Bram Van Driessche

26 December 2023 20	Genk	3–0	Antwerp	Genk
13:30 CET (UTC+1)	Fadera 10' Arokodare 75', 77' Arteaga 83'		De Laet 23' Keita 47' Coulibaly 66'	Stadium: Cegeka Arena Attendance: 20,567 Referee: Jonathan Lardot

21 January 2024 21	Antwerp	4–1	Charleroi	Antwerp
13:30 CET (UTC+1)	Janssen 19' Ilenikhena 41' Wijndal 65' Ekkelenkamp 76' Kerk 87'		Ilaimaharitra 43' Mbenza 58' Bernier 85'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 16,000 Referee: Erik Lambrechts

28 January 2024 22	Eupen	1–0	Antwerp	Eupen
16:00 CET (UTC+1)	Baiye 31' Finnbogason 45' Davidson 68' Emond 81' Keita 90+2'		Janssen 45+2' Van den Bosch 54'	Stadium: Kehrwegstadion Attendance: 3,146 Referee: Wesli De Cremer

31 January 2024 23	Standard Liège	0–1	Antwerp	Liège
21:00 CET (UTC+1)	Laifis 76'		Keita 40' 88' Doumbia 63' Ejuke 86'	Stadium: Stade Maurice Dufrasne Attendance: 18,123 Referee: Bram Van Driessche

4 February 2024 24	Antwerp	2–1	Club Brugge	Antwerp
13:30 CET (UTC+1)	Janssen 19' Corbanie 86' Ondrejka 90+9' Muja 90+12'		Vetlesen 25' Skóraś 27' Thiago 45' De Cuyper 54' Vanaken 90+13'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 16,000 Referee: Jasper Vergoote

11 February 2024 25	RWD Molenbeek	0–4	Antwerp	Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
13:30 CET (UTC+1)	Sampaio 40' 66' Gueye 71'		Alderweireld 15' (pen.), 63' (pen.) Janssen 36' Ondrejka 45+1'	Stadium: Edmond Machtens Stadium Attendance: 6,248 Referee: Jonathan Lardot

17 February 2024 26	Antwerp	0–1	KV Mechelen	Antwerp
20:45 CET (UTC+1)	Ejuke 49' Ondrejka 53'		Mukau 42' Slimani 45+2' Mrabti 57'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 16,000 Referee: Wesli De Cremer

25 February 2024 27	Gent	2–2	Antwerp	Ghent
16:00 CET (UTC+1)	Alderweireld 16' (o.g.) Gerkens 28' Kandouss 49'		Ondrejka 25' (pen.), 71' Bataille 49' Ilenikhena 84'	Stadium: Ghelamco Arena Attendance: 17,263 Referee: Jasper Vergoote

3 March 2024 28	Antwerp	3–0	STVV	Antwerp
16:00 CET (UTC+1)	Ondrejka 62' (pen.), 87' Ejuke 74'			Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 15,500 Referee: Kevin Van Damme

9 March 2024 29	Kortrijk	0–1	Antwerp	Kortrijk
16:00 CET (UTC+1)			Ilenikhena 31' Van den Bosch 40'	Stadium: Guldensporen Stadion Attendance: 8,062 Referee: Bert Put

17 March 2024 30	Antwerp	1–1	Union SG	Antwerp
16:00 CET (UTC+1)	Bataille 52' Van den Bosch 67' Ejuke 82' Kerk 90+2'		Machida 48' 72' Puertas 60' Burgess 77' Nilsson 84', 90+8'	Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Bram Van Driessche

Champions' Play-Off

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation	CLU	USG	AND	CER	GNK	ANT
1	Club Brugge (C)	10	7	3	0	21	6	+15	50	Qualification for the Champions League league stage	—	2–2	3–1	0–0	4–0	3–0
2	Union SG	10	4	2	4	17	12	+5	49	Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round	1–2	—	0–0	2–3	2–0	4–1
3	Anderlecht	10	4	2	4	12	12	0	46	Qualification for the Europa League play-off round	0–1	2–1	—	3–0	2–1	1–0
4	Cercle Brugge	10	3	4	3	13	13	0	37	Qualification for the Europa League second qualifying round^[a]	1–1	1–2	1–1	—	4–1	0–1
5	Genk	10	4	1	5	8	17	−9	37	Qualification for the European competition play-off	0–3	1–0	2–1	1–1	—	1–0
6	Antwerp	10	2	0	8	7	18	−11	32		1–2	0–3	3–1	1–2	0–1	—

Source: Jupiler Pro League (in Dutch), Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points without (possible) half points added due to rounding; 3) Regular season finishing position.^[6]
(C) Champions
Notes:

^ Union SG qualified for the Europa League play-off round by winning the 2023–24 Belgian Cup. The Europa League second qualifying spot and the European competition play-off spot were thus passed to the next two highest-placed teams that did not qualify for European competitions.