Racing Mechelen vs Bocholt - Second Amateur Division - VFV B

When Racing Mechelen and Bocholt clash at the home ground on April 11, 2026, the stakes extend well beyond a single result — this is a Second Amateur Division - VFV B fixture that carries real weight for both clubs. The 74-year-old Hoops boss admitted that "it'll be a bit strange not having the (Celtic) fans in but I'm nervously and excitedly looking forward to it; it's a great fixture" and also spoke about the police visit.

The two sides arrive with plenty to prove, and the Second Amateur Division - VFV B contest at the home ground offers a chance to lay down a marker. The hosts will be looking to find their rhythm and put a run of results together. Bocholt's away form is hard to read, but they will arrive with the belief that they can trouble their hosts. Tim Sherwood makes his predictions for the new Premier League season, including who he thinks will make the top four in the table.

Pressing intensity will define the contest. Racing Mechelen will seek to win the ball high up the pitch and suffocate Bocholt's build-up, while the visitors will aim to play through the pressure and exploit the spaces it leaves behind. The winner came from a rare counter-attack by the new-look Spurs side, who defended well throughout with Andy Robertson making his first start and Jan Paul van Hecke on debut, as they battled to secure another win in pre-season.

Star players on both sides will be eager to make their mark, and the individual duels across the pitch could go a long way to deciding the outcome. Set-piece specialists and aerial threats on both sides mean dead-ball situations could carry outsized importance. Carrick is the ideal man to try and help with that reintegration, having played with the forward at United and coached him when he was on the staff under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. With the sides so closely matched, a 1-1 stalemate looks the most likely way this one ends. Whatever the outcome, the Second Amateur Division - VFV B fixture promises a meaningful contest with real implications for both clubs. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters says a verdict on the alleged charges against Manchester City "has taken longer than expected".