Top lawyer Sven Mary is now defending the legal interests of RSC Anderlecht and owner Marc Coucke. The 54-year-old criminal attorney immediately takes on a major case, the new trial concerning the sale of the record champions to Coucke in 2017.
The trial has been postponed multiple times. Last month, the Brussels Court of Appeal ruled that a recusal request from players' agent Christophe Henrotay was justified. This means the entire case must restart before a differently composed court. Former CEO Jo Van Biesbroeck and ex-director Herman Van Holsbeeck must answer for alleged fraud during the takeover. According to the federal prosecutor, fraud occurred in multiple ways during the sale of the football club.
Sven Mary is one of the most well-known criminal lawyers in the country. He gained worldwide fame as the former lawyer of terrorist Salah Abdeslam. Mary is known for his characteristic, sometimes provocative style and does not hesitate to voice strong criticism, particularly of the justice system. His love for Anderlecht has never been a secret. In his youth, he played for the purple-white youth teams. A professional career ended after a serious injury.
In 2023, Mary admitted he dreamed of one day becoming Anderlecht's chairman. He once said in an interview: "Als Marc Coucke belt, sta ik er binnen het kwartier" (If Marc Coucke calls, I'll be there within the quarter hour). That call has now come, not for the chairmanship, but to legally represent the club and the entrepreneur. Mary will also personally advise Coucke as counsel for his investment company Alychlo.
It is not yet clear when the new trial will take place. The case must be heard again from the beginning. Mary will take over the defence of both the club and Marc Coucke. According to information, he will continue to defend Anderlecht's legal interests as club lawyer after this case. This gives the club a permanent, highly experienced legal partner for the future.
Mary's arrival coincides with a difficult sporting start to the season for Anderlecht. The club currently sits 11th in the Jupiler Pro League with three points from three games. The team has suffered two losses and secured one win. Their goal difference stands at minus three, having scored two and conceded five. In the standings, they are nine points behind leaders Charleroi. The next chance for points is the home match against KRC Genk on September 6th, an opponent sitting in seventh place. The squad must manage this task without the injured Lucas Hey.
The legal battle unfolds while the team tries to recover on the pitch. The focus is on the upcoming fixtures, which fans can track via our fixtures overview. Appointing a legal heavyweight like Mary signals the importance the club and Coucke attach to this case. It concerns the integrity of the takeover that shaped modern Anderlecht.
The combination of sporting challenges and a complex legal file demands stability. With Mary, the club has an advisor who understands its institutional interests and isn't afraid of a fight. His first task is defending Anderlecht and Marc Coucke in the renewed trial about the 2017 sale. The home match against Genk on September 6th is the next sporting appointment.
