Belgium Faces Italy and France Without Lukaku and De Bruyne

Belgium's national football team is preparing for upcoming Nations League matches against Italy and France, scheduled to take place next week. Coach Domenico Tedesco has made significant changes to the squad, calling up four new players: Malick Fofana, Cyril Ngonge, Matte Smets, and Maarten Vandevoordt. Notably absent from the squad are key players Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, both of whom are dealing with injuries and personal requests to focus on their fitness. Tedesco emphasized the importance of using the Nations League as an opportunity to test new talent, rather than during critical World Cup qualification matches. The team will face Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, where Italy currently leads the group with six points. Belgium and France are tied with three points each, while Israel sits at the bottom of the group. Tedesco has communicated with De Bruyne, who is eager to continue representing Belgium despite his injury struggles. The captain's commitment has been questioned following a disappointing performance against France last month, but Tedesco expressed understanding of his situation. Lukaku, who recently transferred to Napoli, also requested to be excused from the matches to focus on individual training. Both players represent a transition phase for Belgium, as they are among the last links to a previous generation of successful players. The upcoming matches will be crucial for assessing the team's depth and future prospects in international competitions.