May 15 – With a 1-0 victory against RSCA Futures, RWD Molenbeek ensured their return to the Belgian topflight after a 21-year absence.
A draw would have been enough, but a single goal by Biron made sure that Molenbeek celebrated their return to the big time in style. Alexis de Sart had a number of good chances early on before Biron got the winner in the 25th minute.
“Not our best game this season,” said RWD Molenbeek coach Vincent Euvrard. “Our first half was still okay, but after the break, there was too much waste in our game. We were paralyzed by the stress, something that makes sense in games like this. However, I never thought of a bad ending, even though we got away well a few times.”
“The most important thing is that we have won the title after a neck-and-neck race with SK Beveren. Both teams deserved to be promoted, but our consistency prevailed.”
For the first time since 1988, three Brussels-based clubs will feature in the topflight. RWDM will join Union and Anderlecht at the highest level.
The promotion is a boost to new owner John Textor, who acquired the club in 2021. Current chairman Thierry Dailly retains a minority stake.
“Our task now is to make RWDM a more stable club in the long term,” Textor told local media. “In the following weeks, we will appoint a new sports and scouting director. We will also be bringing in a significant number of scouts. The aim is to strengthen the Belgian heart of this club. To this end, we will scan the Belgian market and recruit like madmen. In addition, we are going to invest heavily in the youth academy.”
In the 2021/22 season, RWD Molenbeek suffered a net loss of €1.7 million, but Textor said he could cover those losses. The Brussels-based club is part of a larger network of clubs, including Lyon and Botafogo, run by Textor and Eagle Football Holding.
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