Thomas Chatelle before the semi-final of the Anderlecht Cup against Genk: “You would have to be crazy not to play the shot to the max”
For Anderlecht, “it’s the game of the year”. It is also by this expression that Vincent Kompany defined the semi-final of the Belgian Cup against Genk. And this one is certainly not spoofed! Because in a season to say the least delicate, winning this trophy would allow the Mauves to reduce the pressure on their shoulders. And to be able to approach the home stretch of the classic phase of the D1A in a more serene way …
UA place in the top 4 is far from being acquired for Anderlecht with four matches remaining in the classic phase. Indeed, they occupy the fifth position and still have to face Antwerp and Club Brugge, the first two in the standings… “This is a golden opportunity for the Mauves because they only need two matches for reach the European Cup ”, analyzes Thomas Chatelle, the former player from Anderlecht and Geneva, now converted to consult on television. “This remark is also obviously valid for Racing, which is third in the championship (note: but with only three points ahead of the RSCA). It would therefore be necessary to be mad not to play the blow to the full. “
Because at the end of the day, it is a ticket for the Europa League play-offs that awaits the winner of the Cup. In the event of elimination at this stage, it would be transferred to the pools of the brand new Conference League. Even if this one does not seem the most exciting, it is still the assurance of playing several European Cup matches next season. Which would certainly not be a luxury for Sporting who have not tasted it for two seasons, after 55 uninterrupted years of presence on the continental scene.
But to achieve their ends, the Anderlecht will have to show their best face. Because they are capable of the worst as well as the best since the start of the season. “In fact, it’s really very difficult to analyze this club. The team is unpredictable and very unstable. This inconsistency in performance is characteristic of a young formation. In addition, an element adds further instability, namely the number of changes made from one match to another by Vincent Kompany. This gives a team that is able to put out a really big performance and then completely miss their point in the next game. “
Genk, for his part, is not an example of consistency this year either. “When Van den Brom took over from Thorup (note: last November), it worked well. And then, things got tougher for the former Anderlecht coach, to the point that he was one defeat from dismissal. Fortunately for him, his team managed to win a fateful match against Charleroi at the end of February and since then have managed to restart the machine. “
If the Mauves win this meeting, they will reach the Cup final for the first time since 2015 (defeat against Club Brugge). The last time they won it was on May 18, 2008. That day, a certain Thomas Chatelle was in the game. “I remember I went up at half-time and delivered an assist. This had allowed us to save our season. Because that year, Standard had finished champion. Thirteen years later, the Cup could once again save the RSCA season. But to do this, we will have to put out a big performance this Sunday evening.