Along Avenue Theo Verbeecklaan, a pleasant street running next to the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Anderlecht’s fans drank happily in the bars in the early evening sunshine.
It was three hours before kick-off and at Le Choezel, Green Park, La Coupe and Le Fair Play, they were looking forward to the visit of Manchester United.
There was no sense of concern here. Nothing to suggest there was anything to worry about in the wake of the bomb attack on the Borussia Dortmund team bus in Germany that injured defender Marc Bartra and forced the postponement of a Champions League tie with Monaco.