They are among the favorites
Dries Mertens et Michy Batshuayi (Galatasaray)
Do we still need to introduce them? Already above the rest in the Turkish championship after only six matches (+ 5 on Fenerbahçe), the Belgian duo of Galatasaray can be ambitious on the European scene. The failure to qualify for the Champions League will motivate them even more, and the arrival of Victor Osimhen will allow them to reach an additional level. The Turkish champion will be part of the train of favorites, with Manchester United, Tottenham or AS Roma.
From Vesuvius to the Bosphorus, Dries Mertens rediscovered his connection with Victor Osimhen: “He’s an incredible player”
Alexis Saelemaekers (AS Rome)
Even though he will have to wait a few weeks before returning to action following his broken ankle, Alexis Saelemaekers is counting on his teammates (including Belgian-Serbian goalkeeper Mile Svilar) to make a good start to the tournament. The club really needs it, after the dismissal of coach Daniele De Rossi and the resignation of its CEO Lina Souloukou. Ivan Juric, former coach of Torino, has been given responsibility for the team. He will try to do as well as his predecessors who reached two semi-finals and one final in the last four editions of the Europa League.
They will be outsiders
Philippe Clement and Nicolas Raskin (Rangers)
Given that their neighbours and great rivals Celtic have started their Champions League campaign well, Rangers must also shine. Especially since they, like Galatasaray, stumbled in the qualifying stage for Europe’s most prestigious competition before being dropped to the Europa League. The pressure is therefore clearly on Philippe Clement, who is starting to come under pressure in Scotland after losing again in the derby against Celtic.
Mika Godts and Jorthy Mokio (Ajax)
The first has become a regular starter on the left wing, the second still plays mainly with the U21 team but was called up by Francesco Farioli during the European play-off. At 16, the young Belgian has also become the youngest foreign player in the history of Ajax to play in a European match. Jorthy Mokio’s personal objective will therefore be to reappear during the campaign, while Mika Godts (19) will be one of the attacking leaders in the hope of finally experiencing a real epic, six years after the Champions League semi-final.
He turned down Barça and Bayern to sign for Ajax, Jorthy Mokio is the next phenomenon of Belgian football: “My parents cried when I started”
Arthur Theate (Frankfurt)
A regular in the Europa League with Rennes (13 matches), Arthur Theate can this time have real ambitions with the jersey of the club that won the 2021-2022 edition. The Germans, knocked out by Union Saint-Gilloise in the play-offs of the last Conference League, must also redeem themselves with their supporters. The good start to the championship (9 points out of 12) of the team (and of Theate, very good) in any case suggests solid results in Europe.
A German hero, a different role, an F1 champion, a former Virton coach and a bad memory: what awaits Arthur Theate in Frankfurt
Malick Fofana (Lyon)
It is in a context of sporting crisis (4 points out of 15 and a defeat Sunday at home against Marseille) and economic crisis (73 positions could be eliminated internally) that Olympique Lyonnais begins its campaign. Malick Fofana, who arrived at the club last January, is however one of the rare satisfactions of this start of the season. The young 19-year-old winger has chained together several beautiful rises to the game which confirm his promising end to last season. It is also thanks to the penalty he caused in injury time on the final day of the championship that Lyon was able to snatch its ticket for the Europa League.
The chaos continues in the Textor galaxy: towards a possible voluntary departure plan at OL
They will target the dams
Alec Van Hoorenbeeck (FC Twente)
Unknown to the Belgian public, the 25-year-old defender left Mechelen for Twente twelve months ago. His Dutch team, who start with a trip to Manchester United, will try to climb as high as possible in the rankings to at least reach the play-offs.
Maarten Martens (AZ Alkmaar)
While Philippe Clement already has experience from several European campaigns (with Rangers, Monaco and Bruges), Maarten Martens will have his baptism of fire this Wednesday against the Swedish side Elfsborg. The former Red Devil, promoted to T1 from AZ last January, seems to have found the weapons needed to easily aim for qualification for the second round: his team is on eleven consecutive matches without defeat in the Netherlands.
William Baeten (Steaua Bucarest)
Moving from Dessel Sport and the amateur D1 to the Europa League with a foreign club in the space of a few seasons: a successful bet for William Baeten, who now plays for the Romanian champion. The former Genk and Saint-Trond player is part of the rotation on the wing of Steaua Bucharest. He even played the hero during the 2nd round of qualifying for the Champions League. Now, he dreams of showing himself on the second most beautiful European stage where he will face Rangers and Manchester United in particular.
New hero in Romania, former D1 amateur and adored by the racist and homophobic owner: who is William Baeten, the Belgian from Bucharest?
Philippe Rommens (Ferencvaros)
Having left for the Netherlands at the age of 9, Philippe Rommens (27) is celebrating his return to Belgium this Wednesday against Anderlecht. The midfielder spent his entire career with PSV’s youth team and then with two other Dutch clubs (TOP Oss and GA Eagles) before joining Hungary this summer. A regular in Ferencvaros’ midfield, he will have the opportunity to show his business card to the Belgian public.
Anonymous in Belgium but close to the Champions League: who is Philippe Rommens, the Belgian from Ferencvaros? Samuel Edozie will discover the European Cup with Anderlecht: “I liked seeing Messi and Neymar’s Barça”
