Belgium Coach Reveals His Love for Italy and Reason for Lukaku’s Exclusion
The Belgium Coach “Cannot Hide” His Love for Italy and Reveals the Reason for Lukaku’s Exclusion
Exclusion of Romelu Lukaku
Domenico Tedesco, coach of the Belgium national football team, revealed the reason for excluding veteran star Romelu Lukaku from the team’s roster during the upcoming international match calendar. Lukaku, the Italian Napoli striker, has requested to be relieved from the list during the current international break to work on improving his physical fitness.
Belgium’s Squad for Italy Match
The Belgium national team will be a guest against its Italian counterpart in the third round of the second group in the first section of the group stage of the continental competition, at the Olympic Stadium in the capital, Rome. The team is in third place in the group standings with 3 points, on goal difference behind the second-placed France team, which is equal with them on the same score of points, while the Italian team sits at the top of the group with 6 points, achieving the full score so far.
Young Players Get a Chance
While the Belgium national team is missing the services of Kevin De Bruyne, Amadou Onana, and Roma winger Alexis Salmaekers due to injury, the coach sees this as an opportunity to improve the level of young players. “Every match is important. We are missing some players and had to call up some young men, so it is good to improve their level, but we should also focus on achieving a positive result,” Tedesco said in his press conference.
The Coach’s Love for Italy
Tedesco, who was born in Italy and moved to Germany as a young child with his family, admitted that facing the national team (the Azzurri) was a dream for him. He said, “I cannot hide my love for Italy and this is the first time I play against the blue team.” The Belgium national team coach added that he is willing to focus on the players available to him and not worry about the outcome of the match.
Confronting Disappointing Results
Both Italy and Belgium disappointed at the last European Championship (Euro 2024), with Italy losing 0-2 to Switzerland and Belgium being defeated 1-0 by France. Tedesco acknowledged the disappointment and said, “We tried to turn the page as quickly as possible after the European Championships, which was disappointing. We faced teams that seemed inferior on paper, but they proved that they were capable of fighting.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, Tedesco’s love for Italy is evident, and he is focused on improving the level of his players to achieve a positive result in the match against Italy. The coach is willing to adapt his playing style and focus on the players available to him, rather than worrying about the outcome.
FAQs
* Why was Romelu Lukaku excluded from the team’s roster?
+ Lukaku requested to be relieved from the list to work on improving his physical fitness.
* Who is likely to start in the team’s match against Italy?
+ Charles De Kittileri might start in the team’s match against Italy.
* What is the current standing of the Belgium national team in the group?
+ The team is in third place with 3 points.
* Has the coach considered changing his playing style?
+ Tedesco sees no need to change the team’s playing style, as it depends on the players available and the plan he wants to implement on the field.