What a rollercoaster the last few weeks have been for Union. Is it nice to be chairman at this time of year? “It’s actually not fun, no,” says Alex Muzio. “It gives me stress, but the outcome can also bring a lot of happiness. That’s what we do it for. In the meantime, I’m already working on next season. Something I always find strange, I hate it. There should be rules that you couldn’t speak to players before the end of the season, that you weren’t allowed to sign or scout anyone yet. But of course it doesn’t work that way.”
Even after the dramatic start in the Champions’ Play-offs, the chairman did not suddenly become involved in sporting matters. “The only interaction I have with players is a handshake after the match. It’s not my role to motivate them. I think we are playing very well in these play-offs. We didn’t deserve to lose any of those first four matches. But that’s football. During the regular season we were also a bit lucky that we only lost twice, because we didn’t always play well.”
Union can win the cup against Antwerp tomorrow at Heysel. “We should not be overconfident because we have won twice against Antwerp in recent weeks,” says Muzio. And then it becomes clear what kind of data freak he is. “I know that Club Brugge once won 6–0 in the competition against Marc Brys’ Beerschot a few weeks before the cup final (in 2005, ed.). And who won the cup? Beerschot. But the Antwerp of today is a much better team than the Beerschot of the past. This Antwerp won the double last year, didn’t it? Okay, they have lost Vermeeren and Pacho, but most of that team is still there.”
New stadium
In any case, Union will return to Europe next season, but it is still unclear in which competition and in which stadium. That clearly worries Muzio. “If it is the Champions League group stage, then perhaps at Heysel. But with all due respect: play the group stage of the Conference League at Heysel? That will be difficult. I don’t think that can be a pleasant experience.” Where then? Since Anderlecht will also play in Europe, Lotto Park seems to be a difficult matter. “Belgium is not big. Any stadium that meets UEFA’s licensing conditions can be an option.”
And that does not seem to be changing in the coming years. Union wants to build a brand new stadium on the Bemptsite in Vorst and discussions have been going on for months about the price of the land, without success so far. “It is incredibly difficult to build in Brussels. We will continue to work hard on it, but it is very difficult to put a term on something over which you have no control.”
“It costs us a lot of money to have to play in a different stadium every time. And the less attractive it is for supporters, the less income we generate. This makes it expensive to play in Europe, while it should actually be a financial boost. We just want to build a stadium and we are not asking for money. Not a cent, from anyone.”
The final of the Belgian Cup can be seen live on Thursday on VRT 1 at 3:30 PM.
