Royal Antwerp FC's supporters federation is calling on fans to travel to Liège on Saturday for the Jupiler Pro League match against Standard, despite a ban on away fans. Liège Mayor Willy Demeyer (PS) decided to deny Antwerp supporters access to Sclessin due to insufficient police capacity.
The club received the news on Thursday and reacted with dismay. RAFC called the measure "unseen and totally disrespectful" towards over a thousand supporters who planned to travel. The club will seek to recover costs for bus transport and sold tickets from the city of Liège. Antwerp currently sits ninth in the standings with seven points from four matches.
Mayor Willy Demeyer cited a shortage of police officers as the reason for his decision. It is unclear whether last season's incident, when the match was abandoned after Standard supporters threw cups at referee Lothar D'Hondt, influenced the current ban. The supporters federation responded with the call "If necessary, with a thousand men into the city centre".
The club itself advises fans to support the team from their own supporters' pubs. Antwerp, however, also sees the measure as extra motivation to win the three points and bring them to Deurne-Noord. The club is reviewing its position for the return match in consultation with all involved parties.
Coach Marvin Compper (41) also reacted to the surprising return of Arthur Vermeeren. The 21-year-old midfielder returned to Antwerp after a busy transfer window. "When I heard we were going to get Arthur, a smile appeared on my face," Compper told reporters.
Compper, who previously worked as an assistant coach for Leipzig U19 until June 2024, followed Vermeeren's career. He saw him play at Atlético Madrid and Olympique Marseille. The coach describes Vermeeren as a role model due to his international and Champions League experience despite his young age. He expects Vermeeren to become a major strengthening for the team.
Antwerp now has eight central midfielders for two positions in their preferred 4-4-2 formation. Compper emphasized the team is flexible and that an attacking midfielder could also function as a shadow striker. Players must push themselves and force him to play them, he said. The door is never fully closed for any player.
Compper confirmed Vermeeren is top fit and ready to play, possibly even as a starter against Standard. The midfielder is described as versatile with vision, stamina, and defensive stability. He is expected to lead by example in the young Antwerp squad, which has scored ten goals and conceded nine this season.
After the match in Liège, Antwerp faces an important away game against Club Brugge KV on September 13. Brugge currently sits fourth in the table. Antwerp is five points behind leaders Charleroi in the title race. Fans can check the full fixtures schedule for the upcoming program.
The return of Vermeeren and the motivation stemming from the banned supporters' travel create an interesting mix for the coming weeks. Coach Compper has expanded and prepared his squad for the busy period. The match against Standard kicks off Saturday evening at Sclessin.
