Adventure of a lifetime
From confusing the locals in Madrid to silencing the crowd in Istanbul, Union Saint-Gilloise’s Champions League debut was wild, weird and wonderful. One supporter looks back on a journey that still feels unreal
INTERVIEW Dom Hogan
Culture
Going from the second division to facing Bayern München in the Champions League in just five years sounds like the stuff of Hollywood fantasy, but, for Union Saint-Gilloise, this season that became their reality. The Brussels side made their debut in Europe’s premier club competition this term, yet another whiplash-inducing chapter in this most unlikely of underdog stories, following on from their first Belgian title in 90 years last season. Unable to play in their own stadium due to capacity constraints, Union SG ultimately fell short in the league phase – but not before posting some eye-catching wins and proving they belong.
One supporter who watched it all unfold was Union superfan Miro (pictured opposite, bottom left), who lived an unforgettable experience following his team across the continent and back again every step of the way. Born in Slovakia, Miro became an instant convert to the USG cause on his arrival in Brussels, and he is now a flag-bearer for one of the club’s fan groups, bEUnion, comprised of supporters from all over Europe based in Brussels.
Here, Miro tells us all about his continental travels and the moments that will stay with him forever, including the greatest away trip of his life in Istanbul, the pride of watching his side compete with the best in Munich, and the magical night in Eindhoven where it all began.
PSV 1-3 Union SG
16 September 2025
We left Brussels for Eindhoven at about 1pm, but we weren’t alone: we actually had national television cameras on our bus, which was crazy. They didn’t know much about football but loved the atmosphere, and they even had a beer with us on the way back. They broadcast live from the bus, so we had to ask everyone if they wanted to be on camera because some of us were officially off work ‘sick’…
Before the game, I kept telling myself this was just about the Champions League experience, but that all went out the window when we scored from a penalty in the ninth minute. We were already being super loud, but as soon as the goal went in, we went completely crazy. Eventually, we started telling ourselves, “OK, it’s still only 1-0,” but then the second goal went in and it was unbelievable. It was an incredible finish, though I didn’t realise quite how next level it was until the replays.
It finished 3-1, and we started celebrating in the stands with the players, who came over to clap us like always. Even the owner Alex Muzio came over and he looked like he was about to cry. The journey back to Brussels was one long party, so work the next day was interesting, but nobody had any regrets. The journey, the result, the celebrations, the experience – it was just perfect.
Union SG 0-4 Newcastle
1 October 2025
Before the game, everyone was just looking forward to going to the stadium, hearing the Champions League anthem and just seeing the players fight, and for the first few minutes the vibes were amazing.
Expectations were high after we beat PSV, but to be honest Newcastle were just the better team. And even though we realised at 3-0 we weren’t going to win, it was a really nice atmosphere. We showed promise and could have scored a couple, but ultimately we lost 4-0. I’m not sure Nick Woltemade’s back-heel was intentional, but if it was then hats off!
When I was 12, I went to a Champions League game back home in Slovakia and I remember listening to the anthem and thinking how special that was, and it was just amazing to hear it again while following the team I support 15 years later.
Union SG 0-4 Inter
21 October 2025
For our third game we hosted Inter, which is something none of us could have imagined a few years ago. We’ve played big teams before like Liverpool in the Europa League, but the Champions League is just the best of the best.
We actually have a few Italian fans in our group, and they were going crazy. One of them squeezed my arm so hard it started to bleed. He doesn’t actually like Inter, which is maybe why he was celebrating even more. There were only five minutes on the clock, but we were all just screaming and jumping up and down. It was pure madness – we were 0-0 with Inter Milan!
Obviously it didn’t last, but these moments in the home stands are what we’ll remember – not the fact that we lost 4-0 at home for the second game in a row. When the draw was made and we saw Bayern, Atlético, Inter, I think the first emotion for me was fear. But then I realised how much I was going to enjoy following my team against all these massive clubs.
“None of the locals had any idea who we were. They kept asking, ‘Why yellow and blue? Are you from Cádiz?’”
“Even though it was the eighth time we’d heard it, I still got goose bumps when the anthem started to play”
Bayern München 2-0 Union SG
21 January 2026
My wife (above) came to Munich with us for her first-ever European game, which was nice. She speaks fluent German so she was my translator for three days. It was such a cool experience to share with her. She actually studied in Munich around 12 years ago and she really liked Manuel Neuer when she was there, so when I told her he was somehow still playing, she got very excited.
This was the biggest stadium USG have ever played in, and I had that “Wow” feeling of supporting the team I love with a passion against one of the best in Europe. I couldn’t get my head around it. We lost 2-0, but it was 0-0 at half-time and honestly I thought the first half we were tactically perfect, but we made a mistake and never recovered.
Still, it was unbelievable that we could go toe-to-toe with Bayern for 45 minutes. You could tell that teams weren’t taking us for granted after what we’d done this season.
Union SG 1-0 Atalanta
28 January 2026
Before kick-off, we needed something like seven matches to finish in our favour, and I think statistically we had a 6 or 7 per cent chance of qualifying. I was the most nervous one in the group, and I started to believe, but people were just laughing at me like, “Don’t do this to yourself!”
Even though it was the eighth time we’d heard it, I still got goose bumps when the anthem started to play. We’d been in European competitions for the past four years, but the Champions League is just super special and it means so much.
As soon as the final whistle went, we turned straight to the other fixtures to see if there was any chance we could go through, but sadly it wasn’t to be. When I started supporting USG we were still in the second division in Belgium, so it’s pretty unbelievable that we were even in a position where qualifying was possible. I remember when we used to just get excited finishing second in the league or beating Anderlecht!
We’d already won twice, but both games were away from home so it was nice to share the victory with the people who couldn’t come with us to Eindhoven and Istanbul. All we wanted was a win to finish this chapter, and hopefully we’ll be back next year to carry on this journey.
One supporter who watched it all unfold was Union superfan Miro (pictured opposite, bottom left), who lived an unforgettable experience following his team across the continent and back again every step of the way. Born in Slovakia, Miro became an instant convert to the USG cause on his arrival in Brussels, and he is now a flag-bearer for one of the club’s fan groups, bEUnion, comprised of supporters from all over Europe based in Brussels.
Here, Miro tells us all about his continental travels and the moments that will stay with him forever, including the greatest away trip of his life in Istanbul, the pride of watching his side compete with the best in Munich, and the magical night in Eindhoven where it all began.
PSV 1-3 Union SG
16 September 2025
We left Brussels for Eindhoven at about 1pm, but we weren’t alone: we actually had national television cameras on our bus, which was crazy. They didn’t know much about football but loved the atmosphere, and they even had a beer with us on the way back. They broadcast live from the bus, so we had to ask everyone if they wanted to be on camera because some of us were officially off work ‘sick’…
Before the game, I kept telling myself this was just about the Champions League experience, but that all went out the window when we scored from a penalty in the ninth minute. We were already being super loud, but as soon as the goal went in, we went completely crazy. Eventually, we started telling ourselves, “OK, it’s still only 1-0,” but then the second goal went in and it was unbelievable. It was an incredible finish, though I didn’t realise quite how next level it was until the replays.
It finished 3-1, and we started celebrating in the stands with the players, who came over to clap us like always. Even the owner Alex Muzio came over and he looked like he was about to cry. The journey back to Brussels was one long party, so work the next day was interesting, but nobody had any regrets. The journey, the result, the celebrations, the experience – it was just perfect.
Union SG 0-4 Newcastle
1 October 2025
Before the game, everyone was just looking forward to going to the stadium, hearing the Champions League anthem and just seeing the players fight, and for the first few minutes the vibes were amazing.
Expectations were high after we beat PSV, but to be honest Newcastle were just the better team. And even though we realised at 3-0 we weren’t going to win, it was a really nice atmosphere. We showed promise and could have scored a couple, but ultimately we lost 4-0. I’m not sure Nick Woltemade’s back-heel was intentional, but if it was then hats off!
When I was 12, I went to a Champions League game back home in Slovakia and I remember listening to the anthem and thinking how special that was, and it was just amazing to hear it again while following the team I support 15 years later.
Union SG 0-4 Inter
21 October 2025
For our third game we hosted Inter, which is something none of us could have imagined a few years ago. We’ve played big teams before like Liverpool in the Europa League, but the Champions League is just the best of the best.
We actually have a few Italian fans in our group, and they were going crazy. One of them squeezed my arm so hard it started to bleed. He doesn’t actually like Inter, which is maybe why he was celebrating even more. There were only five minutes on the clock, but we were all just screaming and jumping up and down. It was pure madness – we were 0-0 with Inter Milan!
Obviously it didn’t last, but these moments in the home stands are what we’ll remember – not the fact that we lost 4-0 at home for the second game in a row. When the draw was made and we saw Bayern, Atlético, Inter, I think the first emotion for me was fear. But then I realised how much I was going to enjoy following my team against all these massive clubs.
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“None of the locals had any idea who we were. They kept asking, ‘Why yellow and blue? Are you from Cádiz?’”
“Even though it was the eighth time we’d heard it, I still got goose bumps when the anthem started to play”
Bayern München 2-0 Union SG
21 January 2026
My wife (above) came to Munich with us for her first-ever European game, which was nice. She speaks fluent German so she was my translator for three days. It was such a cool experience to share with her. She actually studied in Munich around 12 years ago and she really liked Manuel Neuer when she was there, so when I told her he was somehow still playing, she got very excited.
This was the biggest stadium USG have ever played in, and I had that “Wow” feeling of supporting the team I love with a passion against one of the best in Europe. I couldn’t get my head around it. We lost 2-0, but it was 0-0 at half-time and honestly I thought the first half we were tactically perfect, but we made a mistake and never recovered.
Still, it was unbelievable that we could go toe-to-toe with Bayern for 45 minutes. You could tell that teams weren’t taking us for granted after what we’d done this season.
Union SG 1-0 Atalanta
28 January 2026
Before kick-off, we needed something like seven matches to finish in our favour, and I think statistically we had a 6 or 7 per cent chance of qualifying. I was the most nervous one in the group, and I started to believe, but people were just laughing at me like, “Don’t do this to yourself!”
Even though it was the eighth time we’d heard it, I still got goose bumps when the anthem started to play. We’d been in European competitions for the past four years, but the Champions League is just super special and it means so much.
As soon as the final whistle went, we turned straight to the other fixtures to see if there was any chance we could go through, but sadly it wasn’t to be. When I started supporting USG we were still in the second division in Belgium, so it’s pretty unbelievable that we were even in a position where qualifying was possible. I remember when we used to just get excited finishing second in the league or beating Anderlecht!
We’d already won twice, but both games were away from home so it was nice to share the victory with the people who couldn’t come with us to Eindhoven and Istanbul. All we wanted was a win to finish this chapter, and hopefully we’ll be back next year to carry on this journey.
One supporter who watched it all unfold was Union superfan Miro (pictured opposite, bottom left), who lived an unforgettable experience following his team across the continent and back again every step of the way. Born in Slovakia, Miro became an instant convert to the USG cause on his arrival in Brussels, and he is now a flag-bearer for one of the club’s fan groups, bEUnion, comprised of supporters from all over Europe based in Brussels.
Here, Miro tells us all about his continental travels and the moments that will stay with him forever, including the greatest away trip of his life in Istanbul, the pride of watching his side compete with the best in Munich, and the magical night in Eindhoven where it all began.
PSV 1-3 Union SG
16 September 2025
We left Brussels for Eindhoven at about 1pm, but we weren’t alone: we actually had national television cameras on our bus, which was crazy. They didn’t know much about football but loved the atmosphere, and they even had a beer with us on the way back. They broadcast live from the bus, so we had to ask everyone if they wanted to be on camera because some of us were officially off work ‘sick’…
Before the game, I kept telling myself this was just about the Champions League experience, but that all went out the window when we scored from a penalty in the ninth minute. We were already being super loud, but as soon as the goal went in, we went completely crazy. Eventually, we started telling ourselves, “OK, it’s still only 1-0,” but then the second goal went in and it was unbelievable. It was an incredible finish, though I didn’t realise quite how next level it was until the replays.
It finished 3-1, and we started celebrating in the stands with the players, who came over to clap us like always. Even the owner Alex Muzio came over and he looked like he was about to cry. The journey back to Brussels was one long party, so work the next day was interesting, but nobody had any regrets. The journey, the result, the celebrations, the experience – it was just perfect.
Union SG 0-4 Newcastle
1 October 2025
Before the game, everyone was just looking forward to going to the stadium, hearing the Champions League anthem and just seeing the players fight, and for the first few minutes the vibes were amazing.
Expectations were high after we beat PSV, but to be honest Newcastle were just the better team. And even though we realised at 3-0 we weren’t going to win, it was a really nice atmosphere. We showed promise and could have scored a couple, but ultimately we lost 4-0. I’m not sure Nick Woltemade’s back-heel was intentional, but if it was then hats off!
When I was 12, I went to a Champions League game back home in Slovakia and I remember listening to the anthem and thinking how special that was, and it was just amazing to hear it again while following the team I support 15 years later.
Union SG 0-4 Inter
21 October 2025
For our third game we hosted Inter, which is something none of us could have imagined a few years ago. We’ve played big teams before like Liverpool in the Europa League, but the Champions League is just the best of the best.
We actually have a few Italian fans in our group, and they were going crazy. One of them squeezed my arm so hard it started to bleed. He doesn’t actually like Inter, which is maybe why he was celebrating even more. There were only five minutes on the clock, but we were all just screaming and jumping up and down. It was pure madness – we were 0-0 with Inter Milan!
Obviously it didn’t last, but these moments in the home stands are what we’ll remember – not the fact that we lost 4-0 at home for the second game in a row. When the draw was made and we saw Bayern, Atlético, Inter, I think the first emotion for me was fear. But then I realised how much I was going to enjoy following my team against all these massive clubs.
“None of the locals had any idea who we were. They kept asking, ‘Why yellow and blue? Are you from Cádiz?’”
“Even though it was the eighth time we’d heard it, I still got goose bumps when the anthem started to play”
Bayern München 2-0 Union SG
21 January 2026
My wife (above) came to Munich with us for her first-ever European game, which was nice. She speaks fluent German so she was my translator for three days. It was such a cool experience to share with her. She actually studied in Munich around 12 years ago and she really liked Manuel Neuer when she was there, so when I told her he was somehow still playing, she got very excited.
This was the biggest stadium USG have ever played in, and I had that “Wow” feeling of supporting the team I love with a passion against one of the best in Europe. I couldn’t get my head around it. We lost 2-0, but it was 0-0 at half-time and honestly I thought the first half we were tactically perfect, but we made a mistake and never recovered.
Still, it was unbelievable that we could go toe-to-toe with Bayern for 45 minutes. You could tell that teams weren’t taking us for granted after what we’d done this season.
Union SG 1-0 Atalanta
28 January 2026
Before kick-off, we needed something like seven matches to finish in our favour, and I think statistically we had a 6 or 7 per cent chance of qualifying. I was the most nervous one in the group, and I started to believe, but people were just laughing at me like, “Don’t do this to yourself!”
Even though it was the eighth time we’d heard it, I still got goose bumps when the anthem started to play. We’d been in European competitions for the past four years, but the Champions League is just super special and it means so much.
As soon as the final whistle went, we turned straight to the other fixtures to see if there was any chance we could go through, but sadly it wasn’t to be. When I started supporting USG we were still in the second division in Belgium, so it’s pretty unbelievable that we were even in a position where qualifying was possible. I remember when we used to just get excited finishing second in the league or beating Anderlecht!
We’d already won twice, but both games were away from home so it was nice to share the victory with the people who couldn’t come with us to Eindhoven and Istanbul. All we wanted was a win to finish this chapter, and hopefully we’ll be back next year to carry on this journey.
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