Verschueren sees opportunities for Anderlecht in the Europa League
MONDAY, 31 AUGUST 2026, 14:32 - lajoya
OTHER Anderlecht chairman Michael Verschueren is looking ahead to the Europa League league phase draw with confidence. The purple-and-white side were paired with the likes of Lyon, Marseille, Salzburg, Dinamo Zagreb, Sunderland and Hoffenheim. According to Verschueren, a place in the knockout rounds is within reach. “It's fantastic to be here with Anderlecht.
We should actually be here every year. In the longer term, of course, we want to aim even higher than the Europa League,” he said from Monaco. The clashes with French heavyweights Lyon and Marseille particularly appeal to the chairman. “They are clubs with tradition and fantastic fixtures for our supporters. With Antoine Sibierski, we also have someone who knows French football extremely well. We can use that to our advantage.”
Continue reading below the article
Continue reading Verschueren also sees the home game against Salzburg as an opportunity. He calls the Austrian club a very tough opponent, but believes Anderlecht can make a statement at Lotto Park. Dinamo Zagreb should provide a lively European away trip, while the match against Premier League side Sunderland promises to be an interesting test of strength. Special reunion with De Cat One of the standout fixtures will be the duel with Hoffenheim. Anderlecht will face Nathan De Cat, who moved to Germany for nearly 20 million euros last summer. “Incredible how things can turn out sometimes,” Verschueren laughed. “He'll get a positive reception from our fans. That match could well be a key one.”
Against Jagiellonia Bialystok and OFI Crete, the chairman expects Anderlecht to go for maximum points. “On paper, those are teams we should be able to handle. We are playing away twice, but we should be capable of taking six points from six.” Knockout rounds as the target Verschueren is setting the bar clearly: Anderlecht want to finish in the top 24 and reach the play-off round. “For me, that's a realistic objective. If we want to live up to our ambitions, we'll also have to pick up points against those two opponents.”
That confidence does not come from nowhere. The chairman points to the team's strong start to the season and the positive atmosphere around the club. “There is once again calm and serenity at every level. You can see that on the pitch too. The players are performing, the coach is doing a good job and we are playing attractive, attacking football with plenty of pressure high up the pitch.” On Sunday, Union await as an immediate first major test. “They have been Brussels' number one team for several years now. I'm curious to see what we are capable of on Sunday.”
