Gros turnover sees Anderlecht Vitor Bruno reshuffle as Pétrot endures

Anderlecht’s Jupiler Pro League campaign is being defined by a Gros turnover of personnel, with manager Vitor Bruno now changing twice as many players as before the summer window, while defender Pétrot remains a rare constant in the line‑up.

The club added a flood of reinforcements after 15 August, most of which only began to feature after the decisive match against Courtrai that marked the end of the transfer period. The sole post‑victory signing was Koutsoupias, arriving the day after that win.

Before the official market close, Bruno’s adjustments were modest. On two occasions he replaced four starters, but his average changes per match stayed below two, indicating a preference for continuity when the squad was smaller.

Summer influx fuels unprecedented rotation

Since the arrival of the new heads, the Portuguese coach has altered his approach dramatically. In his last nine games he has altered at least four names in the starting eleven on six separate occasions, and ahead of the away fixture at KAA Gent he made six or seven changes in each of the three matches that preceded it.

Earlier in the season Bruno appeared to have found a settled eleven, fielding the same line‑up for four consecutive matches – from the trip to Kairat Almaty, where he omitted Saliba for disciplinary reasons, through to the victory over Courtrai.

Colin Coosemans backs Vitor Bruno as Anderlecht’s finest since Kompany

Stability elusive despite occasional consistency

After a solid Europa League performance away from home, Bruno limited his alterations to a single starter for the trip to KAA Gent. The only comparable period of minimal change occurred three weeks apart, separated by an international break, making direct comparison difficult.

"C'est l'histoire de l'œuf ou de la poule," noted journalist Xavier Piron, highlighting the chicken‑or‑egg dilemma of whether Bruno needed reinforcements to rotate his squad or is rotating because he now has too many players.

Following a recent defeat, Bruno asserted his ambition: "If I look back at the table, I fall," indicating that his sole target is a fourth‑place finish.

The victims of the turnover are evident. Among the eight players with the most minutes across all competitions are goalkeeper Colin Coosemans and the four defenders who long formed the back line – Maamar, Biancone (who left after an injury at Malines), Pétrot and Augustinsson. Their near‑ever‑present status ended after the away match at Zagreb, when the defensive structure began to crumble. Midfielder Marco Kana, still the fifth‑most used player, has seen his involvement dwindle after a costly error against Cercle. Offensively, only Winkler has retained a regular place for eight matches; the rest have faced reduced minutes and less secure roles.