The dean of Belgian football returns to the European Cup. “The Great Old” (founded in 1880) will play against Barcelona in the third game of its history in the highest continental competition… The first two games were against Real Madrid in 1957. Overall they lost 1:8. Now, after their fifth Belgian league victory in a torturous season, the Antwerp side are completing their magical return to the elite to compete with the best. And the Flemish team played in the First Amateur Division in 2015 after years of economic problems and bad sporting decisions… but with the purchase of the club Paul Gheysens (Owner of Ghelamco) started the comeback in 2017.
“It is a team that has conquered the Jupiler Pro League with an interesting mix of youth and experience,” the Belgian journalist tells MARCA. Guillaume Gautier from “The Snitch.” At its head is an old acquaintance of the Spanish company: Mark van Bommel. The former Barcelona player arrived in 2022 to restart his career as a coach… and it was a complete success for all sides.
It is a team that has conquered the Jupiler Pro League with an interesting mix of youth and experience
Guillaume Gautier, Belgian journalist from “Le Vif”
“Overmars, Technical Director (another former Barcelona player, editor’s note), About van Bommel he says he is a “too Italian” coach because he thinks a lot about the balance of his team in every moment of the game. analyzes Gautier when he speaks of a reactive team that can receive the ball but is very comfortable waiting for the opponent… something they will have to do at the Camp Nou.
A team that combines veterans and young talents
Antwerp, which wants to compete in this Champions League, It’s a perfect example of how to balance a squad with promising young players and veterans experiencing a second (or third) youth. Alderweireld, De Laet or Janssen combine with Michel-Ange Balikwisha (the most differentiated man in this Antwerp), Ekkelenkamp, Mandela Keita or Arthur Vermeeren, a barely 18-year-old midfielder who causes great enthusiasm throughout Belgium.
“The key to this Antwerp is the impressive calm it conveys Alderweireld His team has offensive quality Janssen and the midfield trio Vermeeren, Keita and Ekkelenkamp Anyone who has game intelligence,” Gautier explains to MARCA.
The key to this Antwerp is the impressive composure that Alderweireld brings to his team
Guillaume Gautier, Belgian journalist from “Le Vif”
By the way, Jean Butez, their goalkeeper, is a big fan of Marc André Ter Stegen. And although they come to Montjuic as a clearly inferior team, the great dominator of Belgian football in 2023 (they won the league and the cup) wants to surprise everyone.
