OTHER Sporting success and financial rewards are more closely linked than ever at Anderlecht. According to our information, the Purple & White have introduced a new arrangement for match bonuses in recent contracts. These extras will only be paid out if the club qualifies for the top six.
Sportingly, things are looking bright at the moment. Anderlecht has already built up a comfortable ten-point lead over the number seven. Qualification for Play-off 1 therefore seems only a matter of time. In the Brussels dressing room, that prospect is already causing satisfied faces.
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Continue reading However, the record champions know all too well how painful it can be to miss out on the Champions' playoffs. In the canceled corona season, RSCA was only eighth, and in the disaster scenario of 2022-2023, things went completely wrong. Under Felice Mazzu and later Brian Riemer, Anderlecht finished only eleventh, far outside the top six.
Those disappointments have left their mark, including in terms of contracts. Whereas match bonuses used to be paid monthly and appeared neatly on the payslip, that system has since been adjusted. The amounts have remained unchanged, but a clear condition has been added.
Specifically: players still earn their match bonuses per game, but they will only receive that money if Anderlecht actually qualifies for Play-off 1. Only then will the accumulated bonuses be paid out, together with the June salary. Three independent sources confirm that this model has been included in several recent contracts.
The standard amounts are clear. In the Jupiler Pro League, a win earns a starting player €3,000 gross, a draw €1,000. Those who start on the bench see those bonuses drop to €1,500 and €500 respectively. Each win increases the total, but without a top six finish, the wallet remains closed.
Not every player necessarily falls under exactly the same agreements — some negotiated other clauses or still work with older contracts — but the trend is clear. Financial caution plays a role, but above all, motivation prevails: no Play-off 1 means no extra income.
Nevertheless, Anderlecht does not go as far in this regard as its city rival Union. A few years ago, a more creative bonus system was introduced at Duden Park. There, the victory bonus was doubled for consecutive wins, making a series of wins particularly lucrative. In addition, players received bonuses for goals from set pieces, while conceding goals in this way actually cost money — an approach that is rare in Belgian football.
Other clubs are also considering new incentive structures. Match bonuses remain a powerful tool for stimulating focus and hunger, although fixed salaries and league bonuses remain the norm at top clubs such as Anderlecht.
An example illustrates this clearly. Take a player like Enric Llansana. In the first 18 match days, he won four times as a starting player and drew twice. In addition, he was on the bench for six wins and started two draws on the bench. That adds up to €24,000 gross in match bonuses — provided Anderlecht finishes in the top six.
With twelve league games left before the playoffs, that condition seems achievable. No official comment on contractual details came from Lotto Park, where they traditionally remain cautious about internal agreements.
