An American owner drowning in legal complaints, a (temporary) transfer ban, players who do not know when they will be paid, dissatisfied suppliers and a hard core that is considering actions for the last two home games of the season. Standard, which plays at home against Westerlo on Friday evening, is in bad shape.
These are eventful days for Standard Liège. The former Belgian football powerhouse seems to be increasingly left to its own devices by the American owner, 777 Partners. Since American media reported last weekend about the legal storm in which the Miami investment group is embroiled, doomed reports have followed one another in rapid succession. On Monday, ex-owner Bruno Venanzi and the shareholders of Immobilière du Standard also filed a complaint about late payments. On Wednesday morning, the club was imposed a (temporary) transfer ban because it was unable to submit the necessary proof of payment to the licensing committee during an interim evaluation. On Wednesday afternoon, Ivan Leko confirmed that players and staff are still waiting for their April wages. “The board has informed us that they do not know when we will be paid,” the coach said at his press conference.
What happens on the field against Westerlo on Friday evening is in danger of becoming a side issue. There is nothing at stake anymore in sporting terms. Although Leko assured that all his players are willing to play, off the field unpaid suppliers are considering taking action and in the stands there are fears of protest actions from the hard core. They are concerned about the survival of their club. (thst)
