More than just the Brighton of Brussels: Union St Gilloise join Club Brugge as the dominant forces in Belgian football | OneFootball

After a 4-1 win over Charleroi yesterday evening, Union St Gilloise made it to their second cup final in three years. The side are also top of the Pro League as they look to try and regain the title they won for the first time in decades last season. Due to their links through Tony Bloom, many have compared Union St Gilloise to Brighton, yet while they recruit in a similar fashion, they have taken steps that the Sussex side could never dream of taking. Union St Gilloise have gone from fallen giant to the dominant force in Belgian football.

Alongside Club Brugge, there is a clear divide between the top two sides in Belgium and the previous ‘big sides’. Anderlecht, Standard Liege, Gent, Genk and Antwerp have all had their struggles this season and in previous seasons. Even Club Brugge have been inconsistent at times. What makes the Union St Gilloise story remarkable has been their ability to maintain success despite losing key managers and players. Sebastien Pocognoli left for Monaco earlier in the season, yet under his replacement David Hubert, the side have maintained their lead at the top and made another cup final. Performances haven’t been stellar, and I was very sceptical of what Hubert would be able to achieve, but so far the systems in place at Union St Gilloise have meant that the transition has been seamless.

The only side that has been able to hang with both Club Brugge and Union St Gilloise this season has been surprise package Sint Truiden. Many expect that the Canaries will drop off during the play-offs, leaving a battle between Brussels and Brugge for the title. Given how well both sides are able to recruit and sell players for a decent amount of money, there is an avenue through which we are about to see these two sides dominate the league over the next few years. The rivalry is beginning to develop as the two clashed for the title last season and in seasons past.

Club Brugge are desperate to grab their 20th top flight Belgian title this season. It is a foregone conclusion that the path to this will lead them through Brussels. With just a few games left in the season, it is shaping up to be another exciting play-off campaign between the two sides. On top of that, Union St Gilloise will also be hoping to do the domestic double for the first time since the 1912/1913 season.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson