On Saturday, RSC Anderlecht hosts KV Mechelen at the Lotto Park. The former club of head coach Besnik Hasi is currently in an impressive fourth place, making them a tough opponent. “It’s simple: we need to perform better than in the past few weeks.”
Coach Besnik Hasi will have almost his entire squad available for the match against KV Mechelen. “Enric Llansana trained with the team yesterday (Thursday). If he can do the same today without any issues, he will make the squad for tomorrow.” There was less positive news regarding César Huerta. “Chino is struggling with his pelvis and will definitely be out for a few weeks. A second scan has been done, and we’re waiting for the results to determine a more precise timeline.”
The coach did not shy away from questions about the team’s recent dip in performance. “I completely understand the fans’ criticism. We have had a number of poor halves - take the matches against OH Leuven or Charleroi, for example. Our results and points tally haven’t been good enough. We give away leads too easily, and I see that we still need to develop the experience to manage games better. But it’s simple: we just have to do better, and I also look at myself - I need to get more out of this group than what we’ve shown in recent weeks.”
“We also need to be honest: a number of key players in the offensive department are not performing at their best. It’s not that we’re not creating chances - in fact, both offensively and defensively, the stats are quite solid. The issue is finishing those chances. We need to address that by giving the players confidence, both in training and outside of it. And we do: look at players like Nilson Angulo, who started the season very well but then dipped. He continues to get support to regain his form. We know he can perform and be decisive for us. Nathan De Cat also made mistakes at the start of the season and has always been given the confidence to continue his development.”
Starting with the home match against KV Mechelen, a reunion with Besnik Hasi’s former club. “I’m looking forward to it; I have always had good memories of my time at KV Mechelen. The squad has changed somewhat in terms of personnel, but not so much in playing style. They still emphasize the same aspects. For us, the goal is clear: to win.”