The Cup final opposed the disappointed – Anderlecht vs Standard.
The best know abroad Belgian clubs had to save this season with a trophy, but Standard was less classier this time and lost, somewhat expected, 0-2.
This is not picture from the final, but at least gives some idea what Standard had this season and perhaps why they lost. Standing from left: Gilbert Bodart, Guy Vandersmissen, Alex Czerniatinski, Guy Hellers, Alfonso Fernandez, Zoran Bojovic
Front row: Srebrenko Repcic, Freddy Luyckx, Thierry Rouyr, Dimitri Mbuyu, Michel Renquin.
Well-known names, but somewhat aging and becoming second-raters – or second-raters anyway (the Yugoslavs Repcic and Bojovic and the unfulfilled promise Czerniatinsky). Their goalkeeper Bodart was perhaps the best player the had for the future and so far he was in shadow of Pfaff and former teammate Preud’homme. And so far in the shadow of weaker than the former greats Anderlecht keeper Munaron.
Anderlecht saved the season by winning the Cup and had to make the best of it. Which was not all that little after all – the last time they won the Cup was in distant 1975-76. More than 10 years later the won their 6th Cup. Long wait ended finally and although it was a title, still it was great to break the bad spell. Still, Anderelcht had the top squad in Belgium and more money than anybody else, so the relatively weak season could only fuel their ambitions.
As a final note to this championship: the well known and never ending financial troubles of Belgian football brought 2 changes for the next season: Racing Jet moved from Brussels to Wavre, becoming Racing Jet Wavre and FC Winterslag and K. Waterschei SV Thor merged, forming KRC Genk.
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