Don't let the name fool you. Yes, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise may sound as if it belongs in a historical novel and, true, the club is only just back in the Belgian big league after 48 years kicking around down the divisions.
But Thomas Buffel watched this side hit the top flight like a runaway train last season and the moment he saw their name come out alongside Rangers in Nyon on Monday, it nearly sent a nasty shiver racing down his spine. The former Belgian international has been around the block enough times to know how it works.
While Rangers fans might have been a little less bullish if it was an Anderlecht, Standard Liege or Genk waiting for them on the other side - expectations soared like the summer mercury yesterday when Union came out of the pot to stand between their club and a place in the Champions League play-offs. But the truth of the matter is this fairytale club came close to eclipsing the kind of miracle which rocked England’s Premier League to the core when Leicester City won the title against all odds in 2016.
Union finished the league season at the top of the Jupiler Pro League only to then lose the title to big hitters Brugge over the course of a six game play-off campaign. It was an astonishing return to the top division capped off with a first ever crack at Champions League football for a club which was once regarded as the powerhouse of Belgian football.
But none of it caught Buffel the slightest bit by surprise. Speaking exclusively to Record Sport the former Rangers man said: “The whole country has been fascinated with Union’s story. It’s been incredible.
“It started a couple of years ago when they started beating big clubs in the cup competitions even when they were in the second division. So everyone knew big things were starting to happen for them.
“They still play in a small stadium with a 9,000 capacity and it’s from the olden days. But you can smell the football there. It’s that kind of place.”
And Buffel believes Union could be difficult to stop now that they have the whiff of success in their nostrils. He went on: “Unfortunately they missed out on becoming champions because they deserved to win it. They were the best team in Belgium for a full year.
“But Belgium has a very strange league system so even though they finished top of the table, they lost the title to Brugge in the play-offs. Even the games against Brugge were all about small details. They scored a goal which was supposed to be offside but even now I’m not sure that it was.
“These sort of small things went against them and that was why the fairytale didn’t happen for them in the end. But they have big ambitions. These days now a lot of clubs in Belgium are in the hands of investors so they have better options and better possibilities to bring in good players and compete at the top. For the last few years Brugge have been untouchable with all their Champions League money. But Union are pushing them all the way.”
The club suffered a set-back after last season’s stunning success story when head coach Felice Mazzu was headhunted by Anderlecht. But Mazzu’s right hand man Karel Geraerts has taken over in what Buffel expects to be a seamless transition.
He said: “We will need to wait and see if they can find the same sort of spirit and motivation that they showed last season. But, because it’s the assistant taking over, the good thing for the team and the players is that they will still be doing all the same things that they were doing under the last head coach. It’s not like they are starting from scratch all over again under a coach with new ideas.”
And Buffel has become a big admirer of the way in which this side goes about its business. He went on: “If they keep at the same level then they will be a very, very difficult team for Rangers to play against.
“They play with a 3-5-2 system, which is strong and tidy and also with a lot of transition football. They attack very fast.
“They will miss Casper Nielsen who was a very important player for them in midfield. But, on the other hand, they still have some good players like their striker Dante Vanzeir who is very dangerous in front of goal. I also think they’ll bring in some new players because they’ll get extra money from the club’s investors.”
Buffel has also been keeping an eye on the comings and goings at Ibrox over the summer - with Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey already cherry picked from last season’s Europa League Final side. But he is confident van Bronckhorst will have his new look team ready for the challenge which is waiting for them on the outskirts of Brussels.
He said: “Yes, these players have left but it’s still Rangers - a team that managed to get to the final of the Europa League just a couple of months ago.
“I’m sure they will also be looking to make some transfers of their own and bring in new players. And the guys who are there already have the experience to deal with these kind of situations. But they cannot afford to underestimate Union.
“For most clubs going to a place like Ibrox can be very difficult. But this Union team is set up to play away from home with their quick transitions. They really enjoy playing that way so Rangers will have to be careful.”
