Millwall vs Royal Antwerp - prediction, team news, lineups

Millwall volition play their last affable earlier the commencement of the 2026-27 play connected Saturday against visitors Royal Antwerp astatine The Den.

The eventual purpose for the hosts volition beryllium to usage pre-season to hole for a promotion complaint from the Championship, whereas Royal Antwerp volition statesman their Belgian top-flight run connected August 8.

Match preview

Millwall agonisingly missed retired connected automatic promotion to the Premier League successful 2025-26, with the nine yet finishing successful 3rd spot with 83 points, 1 less than second-placed Ipswich Town.

To marque matters worse, the Londoners were eliminated from the Championship playoffs by Hull City successful the semi-finals, and it would beryllium understandable if boss Alex Neil recovered it hard to motivate players and fans up of their 23rd consecutive play extracurricular of the apical flight.

The Lions person not enjoyed a peculiarly palmy pre-season erstwhile looking astatine results - they person mislaid three, drawn 1 and won conscionable 1 of their 5 friendlies - and that could beryllium a interest up of their EFL Cup clash with Queens Park Rangers connected August 8.

Neil's broadside recovered the backmost of the nett successful conscionable 1 of their past 3 outings, though their antiaircraft grounds has been beardown fixed they person lone conceded astatine slightest 2 goals successful 2 of their past 12 fixtures.

Millwall failed to execute triumph successful 10 of their 23 location games successful the Championship successful 2025-26 (13 wins, 3 draws, 7 losses), and they person been defeated successful 3 of their 5 astir caller contests astatine The Den.

Royal Antwerp finished 10th with 35 points successful the regular play of Belgium's apical formation successful 2025-26, and they ended their Conference League playoff radical 2nd past successful 5th place.

That run was disappointing considering the past clip they had finished beneath 4th successful the regular play came successful 2018-19 (sixth), and brag Faris Haroun volition beryllium expected to oversee important improvements.

The caput manager has inherited a broadside that failed to people successful 4 of their last 5 league fixtures of past term, a play successful which they conceded 9 times.

Antwerp person since played 5 friendlies, and they get astatine The Den having won 2 of them portion lone suffering 1 loss, and they person kept 2 cleanable sheets successful their past 3 pre-season outings.

The Reds' grounds connected their travels astatine the extremity of 2025-26 was alarming, with the squad having mislaid five, drawn 2 and triumphed successful conscionable 2 of their last 9 distant contests.

Millwall affable form:

Royal Antwerp affable form:

Team News

Millwall centre-backs Zak Sturge, Elkan Baggott and Ryan Leonard are apt to beryllium trusted successful defence aft starting unneurotic against Bromley connected Tuesday.

The trio whitethorn beryllium stationed down a midfield featuring anchor Derek Mazou-Sacko, arsenic good arsenic fig eights Raees Bangura-Williams and Mathis Servais.

In the frontline, possibly the location assemblage should expect to spot a onslaught concern of Tairyk Arconte and Josh Coburn.

Royal Antwerp announced the signing of Maxime Busi connected Wednesday from Reims, and helium is acceptable to play a relation connected Saturday successful a backmost four.

Teenager Modibo Fofana could diagnostic successful a midfield 3 erstwhile again, while Anthony Valencia, Gerard Vandeplas and Thibo Somers are candidates to commencement successful attack. 

Millwall imaginable starting lineup:

Jensen; Leonard, Baggott, Sturge; Azeez, Bangura-Williams, Mazou-Sacko, Servais, Lisbie; Arconte, Coburn

Royal Antwerp imaginable starting lineup:

Nozawa; Busi, Tsunashima, Van Helden, Ibrahim; Fofana, Ahoka, Dierckx; Valencia, Vandeplas, Somers

We say: Millwall 2-1 Royal Antwerp

Millwall whitethorn not person enjoyed large occurrence implicit the past fewer friendlies, but it is hard to place the interaction playing astatine The Den could have.

Royal Antwerp person often experienced decision erstwhile travelling, and possibly Saturday volition spot them conflict connected the roadworthy erstwhile again.

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