Domenico Tedesco will not have much choice as to the defensive line he will field against Slovakia on Monday. Barring a big surprise, and a move to a 3-man defense, the names of the four starting defenders are already known.
Belgium will face Slovakia on Monday evening to launch its Euro 2024. This Friday, Domenico Tedesco’s players trained for the third time on German soil.
Since their arrival in the northern suburbs of Stuttgart, the Devils have not been able to benefit from the defensive qualities of a player taken over for the first time since the 2022 World Cup: Axel Witsel. With a muscular injury to his calf, the central defender, who has just extended his contract at Atlético, will most likely not be part of the game against Slovakia.
To compose his defense, Domenico Tedesco already has no choice
An injury which is coupled with those of Jan Vertonghen, Arthur Theate and Thomas Meunier, just for the defensive line. The Anderlecht player, like Arthur Theate (and Youri Tielemans, in the middle) returned to training this weekend, but, as with the others, no risks will be taken. It is therefore very, very unlikely to see Witsel, Vertonghen and Theate (without forgetting Thomas Meunier, of course), starting against the Slovaks.
Having decided, until now, not to use his medical joker to compensate for the absence of Meunier, Domenico Tedesco practically no longer has a choice as to the defense he will line up for his first match in a major competition at home. head of the Devils.
This defense (at 4, always, barring any big surprises), should be made up, from left to right, of Maxim De Cuyper, Wout Faes, Zeno Debast and Timothy Castagne. Being more comfortable on the right side of the central defense in order to use his long game, the probable future player of Sporting Lisbon could thus spread the play more easily, in particular on the left, via a diagonal, to launch a certain Jérémy Doku, for example.
Avoid unnecessary risks, and pray for a quick return
However, the signs in the medium term are encouraging. As mentioned above, everyone is back in training except Witsel (and Meunier). Theate and Vertonghen should therefore return soon, in order to provide different solutions to the coach. Without rushing and taking risks, however.
This Saturday, collective training, still at the Devils base camp, will take place behind closed doors. After a final session, Sunday morning, the Devils will head to Frankfurt in the afternoon.
