Molnar expects 'fanatical' Liége on Thursday
On Wednesday morning, the FC Copenhagen players and staff head off to Belgium for their first away game in the UEFA Europa League, against Standard Liége. In anticipation of the clash, FCK.DK caught up with former Liége player Miklos Molnar, to hear what Thursday opponents will offer.
by Joe Short
The only Dane to ever play for Standard Liége is former striker Molnar, who between 1989 and 1991 played about 40 games for the Belgian club, scoring 16 goals. He most memorably scored four in one match against K. Beerschot VAC in 1990.
How do you remember your time at Standard Liége?
- It was fantastic. I came from BK Frem, which was a small club. To move to Liége in Belgium was huge and it was great to come to such a great club. It was a club where there was a great training ethic, they had good organisation and spirit, fanatical fans and a fantastic stadium, so I would imagine it will be the same on Thursday night.
- But it was also a volatile time for players. It was a few years before the Bosman ruling, when there was a limit to the number of foreigners allowed on the pitch at the same time, and there was an insane amount of foreigners at Liége. I think there were seven or eight internationals from countries like Hungary, Mexico and Luxembourg. That led to the fierce competition between us foreigners, who would perform all the time to make the team at the weekend.
What is the club like? How has it done in the Belgian domestic world of football?
- It has been many years since I was there, but there is no doubt that Standard Liége is a large and very traditional club in Belgium. There’s probably only Anderlecht and Club Bruges who are greater. Although I do not follow the club so much now, I'm sure FC Copenhagen will have to go into the match with great respect, for I can’t imagine that it will be a walkover for FCK.
What is Liège like as a city?
- I remember the city as one with many factories, but also as a nice town. The city is not so large but it is, as I said, nice and you have the river Meuse that runs through it. But it's also a great footballing city and a place where real supporters eagerly anticipate matches.
- On match days there was always a good atmosphere in the city and the area around the stadium. I was very young and focused on football when I was down there. But now I know it's good to walk around town, and sit down and have a good Belgian beer.
It’s been 20 years since you were at the club, but do you still follow Standard Liége?
No, I must admit that I don’t, although sometimes I just browse through the scores in the newspaper to find out how they’re getting on.
If Molnar had looked through a newspaper of the Belgian Jupiler League, he would have seen that Standard Liége are currently seventh. After eight games, they have won three, drawn three and lost two. Their 10-10 goal difference increases the assumption that Liége are a sturdy team who will be tough to beat. Over the weekend, the club drew 0-0 with Cercle Brugge.
Molnar is now back at his childhood club B1908, and is in management in the Danish Division Two East.
Morten Nordstrand, who scored the winning goal against Vorskla in the first round of the UEFA Europa League, is included in the FCK squad to face Liége on Thursday.
Photo: Sportsagency.dk
