Chaudron de Sclessin

March 1, 2009

Stade Maurice Dufranse does live up to its name as the Cauldron. Indeed it looks more like a lions den than a place where 22 men would congregate on a chilly sunday evening to kick a ball around. While it isn't the most celebrated of Belgian stadiums, it can boast as being the home of one of Belgium's most revered and famed football teams, the great Royal Standard de Liège. 

Standard, as they are colloquially known among the fans, ranks among Belgium's Big 3 with Anderlecht and Club Brugge. While they have only won 9 league championships in their history, 20 less than their Brussels rival Anderlecht, they are one, if not the best supported teams in the country. Founded in 1900, Standard has had a rich history in which they have won numerous Belgian Cups and Supercups as well as reaching the Cup Winner's Cup Final in 1982 where they eventually lost against FC Barcelona. In 2008, they won their first Belgian League title after a dry spell of almost 25 years. 

On this cool evening night in March,  Standard found themselves 5 points behind arch rivals Anderlecht with 2 games in hand. If they had any chance of staying in the race for the title, they would have to win. In order to get all three points, they would have to beat their opponent of the night Cercle Brugge KSV. Cercle are also a Belgian team which hail from the Flemish town of Bruges (best known from the cult film "In Bruges").

For this match, I was accompanied by my friend Étienne along with his children. Like many Walloons, he professed his love for Les Rouches, having been a fan for as long as he can remember. As we approached the Stadium we saw hundreds of men and women clad in red. They were all singing songs, drinking Jupiler as well as eating some of the great food found in Belgium including fries, beer and waffles. There were also many busses which apparently came from different parts of the country.  Clearly this was a well supported team. With the atmosphere boiling over outside the stadium, we all decided to grab some grub and Jupiler before heading to our section. 

Having been sufficiently satisfied, I was ready for some football. If anything, I wasn't disappointed by the ambiance in the stadium. Having been to countless football matches across the globe, I would have to rate the fans of Les Rouches as among the best. Not only did they light flares and chant endlessly, they were also coordinated with the other fans at the opposite end of the stadium. This all culminated in a fantastic display of support. 

As the game kicked off, it was clear that Standard was prepared to win. They dominated most of the first half and gave Cercle few shots on target. Playing with confidence, Standard opened the score in the 5th minute with some impressive pass and goes from the midfield which ended with a superb finish from the Belgian de Carmago. 6 minutes later, Mbokani doubled the score with some great footwork before firing the ball past the Cercle goal-tender. Before I knew it, Standard was up 2-0. 

                                                

The second half brought two more goals and it was clear that Cercle never had a chance. While they did perform better during the second half, the Standard keeper Aragon performed at a world class level and kept the clean sheet. In all it was a job well done from the 11 on the pitch. 

Having been to only one other Belgian Jupiler League football match (Anderlecht vs. Charleroi, September 2008) it would be presumptuous on my part to definitively say that the fans, stadium and team are the best in Belgium. Nonetheless, from what I experienced, I would have to say they are. If anything the fans are some of the best in Europe. I wish Standard all the best and I hope they qualify for the Champions League next year. Surely their fans deserve it. 

If you find yourself in Belgium, make the trip to a Standard match and experience what Belgian football is all about. I promise you won't regret it.