After a fairly timid start to the match, Charleroi gained momentum against Mechelen. Rik De Mil reminded his resting men of the fundamentals.
Nowadays, clubs are increasingly showing certain intimate scenes of the group to supporters, to allow them to feel closer to the team. This is what Charleroi did after qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Belgian Cup.
When returning to the locker room, the coaches have little time to correct what needs to be corrected, both on a collective and individual level. We must therefore get to the point and give the players a unifying speech to see them give that little extra soul in the second half.
Comment Rik De Mil did he do it against Mechelen? Sporting published a little inside of a locker room scene at rest: “It’s a close match. We can feel that it’s going to come down to details. It’s up to us to make these details work in our favor. How? First defensively, we have to stay organized, do the job. If we’re a little late in the pressing, we have to be a little lower. But the performance is really not bad,” he began.
The devil is in the details
Unsurprisingly, Coach Carolo first insisted on the foundations: defense. One of the biggest dangers the team could have faced was being positioned high up the pitch, while allowing time for the ball carrier to look up to find space. This is why De Mil recalls the importance of reducing these spaces in the event of pressing triggered too late on the ball carrier.
Also read… Rik de Mil appeals to Charleroi supporters: “I was surprised by their choice, but they surprised me”›Offensively, there was also something to say: “In this last gesture, I want a little more fire. But it will happen. And above all, don’t neglect the set phases. It’s an important detail.” Five minutes after the restart, it was from a corner that Charleroi forced the penalty which led to the opening of the score.
“If you’re dead, tell me. The guys on the bench are ready. But above all, start this second half well. Mechelen will kick off. Win the duel. Win the second ball. Play the same football, with intensity. Come on guys,” concluded Rik De Mil, whose message clearly got across.
𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗨𝗽 👊
In the privacy of the locker room at half-time of the match against Mechelen. 📹#RCSC #NapoleonScore ⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/VrmzbO2fhe
— Royal Charleroi Sporting Club (@SportCharleroi) December 5, 2025
