Vincent Kompany, Anderlecht coach, was interviewed on the Belgian television program The gallery and advocated by a merger of the Belgian (Jupiter Pro League) and Dutch (Eredevisie) league, whose name is BeNeLeague, in order to increase the economic gains of both championships. “I am completely in favor. From now on, the best teams will isolate themselves, form their own championship and their income will be doubled.. We will stay in a small market, with few resources to progress, “defended the former Manchester City center.
Kompany also pointed out that the BeNeLeague would allow to safeguard national talent: “I’m talking about seeing more competitive teams in Belgium, with our own talents. And the problem, whatever we do, is that the other championships will get stronger.”
The issue has been running since last year in both Belgium and the Netherlands, and its objective is to reduce the difference in competition that exists with the five major European leagues. In the last decade, only Ajax have been able to rub shoulders with Europe’s greats, reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League in the 18/19 campaign. Bart Verhaege, president of Brujas, has been the main promoter of an idea that would bring together up to 18 teams; the six largest in the Netherlands (Ajax, PSV Einhoven, AZ Alkmaar, Feyenoord, Utrecht y Vitesse Arhnem) and the five from Belgium (Anderlecht, Club Brugge, Standard de Liege, KAA Ghent and Genk). The remaining seven teams would enter the competition based on the results achieved during the last five seasons.
Kompany is not the only ex-football player who has come out in favor of the BeNeLeague; Robin Van Persie also defended the idea in an interview with the newspaper The team a year ago: “The great Dutch teams sometimes play against very inferior teams at home. Why not replace these teams with big clubs like Anderlecht, Ghent or Genk? “asked the Feyenoord forward coach.