Four days of rest won’t make any difference: new turf in Anderlecht will come loose again against Antwerp

Just like in the top match against Club Brugge, the new turf came loose at Anderlecht in the cup match against Antwerp. Loose sods were visible from the first minutes. The ball regularly bounced up unexpectedly. Four days without football didn’t make any difference.

Anderlecht took advantage of the short winter break to lay a new turf. That happened with roller lawn. The problem is that the grass from the supplied rollers needs time to adhere to the surface.

Anderlecht immediately played two home games in a row, barely four days apart. After the cup match against Antwerp, the turf will have until January 26 to rest and bond. The Purple & White will also play two home games in a row.

“Playing football two matches in a row on such a field is real bleuh” was the telling response from Antwerp captain Toby Alderweireld. “You just can’t play decent football. As a defender you are constantly working on it, because you are afraid of slipping. Sometimes you also trip over a pile of sand. We are also a footballing team, not a fighting team.”