Union St. Gilloise vs Hapoel B Prediction - Oct 22, 2026

Union St. Gilloise vs Hapoel B Prediction and Preview

Our Union St. Gilloise vs Hapoel B prediction looks at a Europa League match with an unusual setting and a clear favourite. The game is scheduled for October 22, 2026, at 17:45 GMT, but there will be no supporters in the stadium to provide the usual European atmosphere.

A European night with a major change of venue

This Matchday 3 fixture was initially set to take place at Union SG’s European home, the King Power at Den Dreef Stadion in Leuven. However, Leuven mayor Mohamed Ridouani stopped the game from being staged in the city due to security concerns and the risk of protests connected to the situation in the Middle East.

Reports indicate that Union contacted professional clubs across Belgium while searching for another venue, but no suitable host was found. As a result, the match has moved across the border to the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf, the home of Fortuna Düsseldorf. It will be played strictly behind closed doors. That should create a strange mood: plenty of space, two technical areas, and every tactical instruction loud enough for half of Germany to hear.

Union enter the match in 12th place in the Europa League league phase, having collected four points from one victory and one draw. Their recent domestic results include a disappointing 1-1 draw with OH Leuven and a comfortable 3-0 Belgian Cup win over lower-league Nijlen.

Hapoel Be’er Sheva are 25th with one point from two European games. Their previous continental fixture ended in a narrow 2-1 away defeat against AZ Alkmaar on October 15. That result showed they can remain competitive away from home, although another difficult assignment now awaits.

How the tactical contest could develop

Union manager David Hubert, appointed in late 2025, usually prefers a 3-4-1-2 formation. His team looks to control possession, push the wing-backs forward and create width around two central attackers. Against a deeper defence, patience will matter because possession alone does not move the scoreboard.