# 2014–15 Royal Charleroi S.C. season

The 2014–15 season was played by Charleroi, a Belgian football club based in Charleroi, Hainaut. The season covers the period from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015. Charleroi participated in the Belgian Pro League and Belgian Cup.

## Review
### Pre-season

Charleroi played eight pre-season fixtures in preparation for the 2014–15 season, matches against Royal Châtelet, Racing Fosses, Differdange 03, Excelsior Virton, F91 Dudelange, White Star Bruxelles, Metz and Lens were scheduled. Charleroi started the run of games with a 3–4 win against Royal Châtelet at Complexe des Sablières, with their goals coming from Sébastien Dewaest, Cédric Fauré, Neeskens Kebano and a hat-trick from Giuseppe Rossini. The club then eased past Racing Fosses 1–5 at the Stade Winson.
The club followed that with two straight wins, firstly a 0–2 win over Differdange 03 followed by a 1–4 win over Excelsior Virton. After that on 8 July Charleroi lost a thrilling match against F91 Dudelange 4–3 at Stade Jos Nosbaum. They followed that with another defeat, this time suffering a 1–0 loss to manager Felice Mazzu's previous club White Star Bruxelles on 12 July. Charleroi won their penultimate pre-season fixture 1–2 against Ligue 1 side Metz, that thanks to a brace from new signing Lynel Kitambala.
On 14 April 2014, Charleroi opened their summer transfer spending with the signing of Mali international Kalifa Coulibaly from Paris Saint-Germain for an undisclosed fee, the striker penned a two-year contract with the option of two further years. Charleroi then signed winger Clinton Mata from Eupen for an undisclosed fee on 28 May, he also signed a two-year contract with the option of two further years. The club completed their first loan signing on 14 June, it was a familiar face who arrived in versatile former Senegal youth international Christophe Diandy who had a loan spell at the club in the 2012–13 season, he joined on a season-long loan deal from Mons.
As Salvatore Crimi left the club following the expiration of his loan deal from Zulte Waregem, Mohamed Mrabet also left the club but only on a season-long loan deal to Virton on 15 May. Charleroi's first transfer activity since the transfer window officially opened on 1 July was the incoming of French winger Lynel Kitambala, he signed for an undisclosed fee from Ligue 1 club Saint-Étienne.

## Competitions
### Friendlies

| Date | Time | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers |
| 21 June 2014 | 18:00 | Royal Châtelet | Away | W | 6–3 | Dewaest 38', Fauré 41' pen., Rossini 57' pen., 64', 72', Kebano 62' |
| 27 June 2014 | 20:00 | Racing Fosses | Away | W | 5–1 | Rossini 31', Coulibaly 33', Thiaré 55', Tainmont 74', Sağlık 90+1' |
| 28 June 2014 | 17:00 | Differdange 03 | Away | W | 2–0 | – 14', Daf 34' |
| 5 July 2014 | 16:00 | Virton | Away | W | 4–1 | Kebano 34', Coulibaly 40', Fauré 60', 87' |
| 8 July 2014 | 19:00 | F91 Dudelange | Away | L | 3–4 | Daf 47', Rossini 61', Tainmont 65' |
| 12 July 2014 | 17:00 | White Star Bruxelles | Away | L | 0–1 | |
| 19 July 2014 | 17:00 | Metz | Away | W | 2–1 | Kitambala 11', 27' |
| 30 July 2014 | 19:00 | Lens | Away | | | |

### Belgian Pro League
#### Regular season

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 4 | Standard Liège | 30 | 16 | 5 | 9 | 49 | 39 | +10 | 53 | Qualification for the Championship play-offs |
| 5 | Kortrijk | 30 | 16 | 3 | 11 | 54 | 35 | +19 | 51 | Qualification for the Championship play-offs |
| 6 | Charleroi | 30 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 44 | 31 | +13 | 49 | Qualification for the Championship play-offs |
| 7 | Genk | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 38 | 28 | +10 | 49 | Qualification for the Europa League play-offs |
| 8 | Lokeren | 30 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 38 | 32 | +6 | 42 | Qualification for the Europa League play-offs |
| Date | Time | League position | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 25 July 2014 | 20:30 | 16th | Standard Liège | Away | L | 0–3 | | |
| 2 August 2014 | 20:00 | 15th | Westerlo | Home | L | 2–3 | Fauré 7', Kitambala 27' | 4,523 |
| 10 August 2014 | 18:00 | 16th | Anderlecht | Away | L | 0–1 | | 21,000 |
| 16 August 2014 | 20:00 | 16th | Waasland-Beveren | Home | D | 2–2 | | |
| 23 August 2014 | 20:00 | 11th | Lierse | Away | W | 2–0 | | |
| 31 August 2014 | 20:00 | 9th | Mechelen | Home | W | 2–0 | | |
| 13 September 2014 | 20:00 | 12th | Cercle Brugge | Away | L | 0–1 | | |
| 19 September 2014 | 20:30 | 6th | Zulte-Waregem | Home | W | 2–1 | | |
| 27 September 2014 | 20:30 | 11th | Genk | Away | D | 1–1 | | |
| 4 October 2014 | 18:00 | 13th | Kortrijk | Home | L | 0–2 | | |
| 18 October 2014 | 20:30 | 12th | Gent | Away | D | 2–2 | | |
| 25 October 2014 | 20:00 | 9th | Oostende | Home | W | 2–0 | | |
| 29 October 2014 | 20:30 | 11th | Lokeren | Away | L | 2–5 | | |
| 2 November 2014 | 18:00 | 12th | Club Brugge | Home | D | 0–0 | | |
| 8 November 2014 | 18:00 | 10th | Mouscron-Péruwelz | Away | W | 2–0 | | |
| 22 November 2014 | 18:00 | 7th | Anderlecht | Home | W | 3–1 | | |
| 29 November 2014 | 18:00 | 7th | Westerlo | Away | W | 3–2 | | |
| 7 December 2014 | 18:00 | 8th | Standard Liège | Home | L | 0–1 | | |
| 13 December 2014 | 20:00 | 7th | Waasland-Beveren | Away | W | 3–1 | | |
| 20 December 2014 | 20:00 | 5th | Lierse | Home | W | 6–0 | | |
| 26 December 2014 | 14:30 | 4th | Zulte-Waregem | Away | W | 3–1 | | |
| 17 January 2015 | 20:00 | 5th | Cercle Brugge | Home | L | 0–2 | | |
| 24 January 2015 | 18:00 | 6th | Kortrijk | Away | D | 0–0 | | |
| 31 January 2015 | 18:00 | 5th | Genk | Home | W | 1–0 | | |
| 7 February 2015 | 18:00 | 6th | Mechelen | Away | D | 0–0 | | |
| 15 February 2015 | 20:00 | 7th | Gent | Home | D | 0–0 | | |
| 21 February 2015 | 20:00 | 6th | Oostende | Away | W | 3–1 | | |
| 28 February 2015 | 18:00 | 6th | Lokeren | Home | W | 1–0 | | |
| 7 March 2015 | 20:00 | 7th | Club Brugge | Away | L | 0–1 | | |
| 15 March 2015 | 14:30 | 6th | Mouscron-Péruwelz | Home | W | 2–0 | | |

#### Championship play-offs

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Gent (C) | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 11 | +7 | 49 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Club Brugge | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 47 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 3 | Anderlecht | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 13 | +5 | 46 | Qualification for the Europa League group stage |
| 4 | Standard Liège | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 13 | +1 | 40 | Qualification for the Europa League third qualifying round |
| 5 | Charleroi | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 15 | −2 | 36 | Qualification for the Testmatches to Europa League |
| 6 | Kortrijk | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 22 | −11 | 34 | |
* ↑ Since winners of the 2014–15 Belgian Cup, Club Brugge, qualified for the Champions League based on league position, the spot awarded to the Cup winner (Europa League group stage) was passed to the third-placed team and the other spots were adjusted accordingly.
* ↑ The team finishing in fifth place, Charleroi, will play the testmatches against the winner of the Belgian Europa League playoff final, for a spot in the Europa League second qualifying round.
| Date | Time | League position | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A |
| 6 April 2015 | 18:00 | 6th | Anderlecht | Away | L | 0–1 |
| 11 April 2015 | 20:30 | 5th | Gent | Home | W | 2–1 |
| 19 April 2015 | 20:30 | 6th | Kortrijk | Away | D | 1–1 |
| 25 April 2015 | 18:00 | 4th | Standard Liège | Home | W | 1–0 |
| 29 April 2015 | 20:30 | 5th | Club Brugge | Away | L | 1–3 |
| 3 May 2015 | 18:00 | 6th | Anderlecht | Home | L | 0–1 |
| 8 May 2015 | 20:30 | 4th | Gent | Away | D | 1–1 |
| 17 May 2015 | 20:30 | 5th | Kortrijk | Home | W | 5–2 |
| 21 May 2015 | 20:30 | 5th | Club Brugge | Home | L | 2–3 |
| 24 May 2015 | 14:30 | 5th | Standard Liège | Away | L | 0–2 |

#### Europa League play-off

| Date | Time | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance | Ref. |
| 28 May 2015 | 20:30 | Mechelen | Away | L | 1–2 | Geraerts 54' | 7,200 | |
| 31 May 2015 | 18:00 | Mechelen | Home | W | 2–0 | Marinos 69', Ndongala 89' | 10,658 | |

### Belgian Cup

| Round | Date | Time | Opponents | Venue | Result | Score F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| Sixth round | 24 September 2014 | 20:30 | Eupen | Home | W | 2–0 | Sağlık 49', Tainmont 50' | 2,500 |
| Seventh round | 3 December 2014 | 20:00 | Oostende | Home | W | 2–0 | Kebano 34' pen., Fauré 57' | 2,609 |
| Quarter-final first leg | 17 December 2014 | 20:00 | Cercle Brugge | Home | W | 2–1 | Fauré 26', 29' | 3,652 |
| Quarter-final second leg | 21 January 2015 | 20:30 | Cercle Brugge | Away | L | 0–2 | | 1,200 |

## Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos. | Name | League | League | Cup | Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | | |
| 1 | GK | Maxime Vandermeulen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Steeven Willems | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Jonathan Vervoort | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Robin Leemans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Sébastien Dewaest | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Clément Tainmont | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | DF | Francisco Martos | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Giuseppe Rossini | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Mohamed Daf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | MF | Christophe Diandy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | GK | Valentin Baume | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | Jamal Thiaré | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | Stergos Marinos | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | FW | Cédric Fauré | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | Clinton Mata | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | Jessy Gálvez López | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | Guillaume François | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | MF | Damien Marcq | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | FW | Kalifa Coulibaly | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | Enes Sağlık | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | FW | Harlem Gnohéré | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | GK | Parfait Mandanda | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | DF | Francis N'Ganga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 80 | MF | Kenneth Houdret | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 88 | MF | Dieumerci Ndongala | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 92 | MF | Neeskens Kebano | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 99 | FW | Lynel Kitambala | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| – | DF | Mohamed Mrabet | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| – | FW | Evans Kondogbia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Position | Player | Transferred from | Fee | Date |
| FW | Kalifa Coulibaly | Paris Saint-Germain | Undisclosed | 14 April 2014 |
| MF | Clinton Mata | Eupen | Undisclosed | 28 May 2014 |
| FW | Lynel Kitambala | Saint-Étienne | Undisclosed | 7 July 2014 |

### Loans in

| Position | Player | Loaned from | Date | Loan expires | Ref. |
| FW | Christophe Diandy | Mons | 14 June 2014 | End of season | |
Total spending: Undisclosed

### Transfers out

| Position | Player | Transferred to | Fee | Date | Ref. |

### Loans out

| Position | Player | Loaned to | Date | Loan expires | Ref. |
| DF | Mohamed Mrabet | Virton | 15 May 2014 | End of season | |