Vandenbempt sees Lukaku’s return as a “very good signal”: “Red Devils must improve customer loyalty”

With Romelu Lukaku, the Red Devils are preparing for the diptych against Italy and Israel in the Nations League. Football analyst Peter Vandenbempt sheds light on the selection of national coach Domenico Tedesco. “The coming matches seem excellent to try out the young talents.”

To be honest, I find it a surprise that Romelu Lukaku “would like” to return to the Red Devils.

We listened carefully to what Lukaku said in that podcast a while ago and he said that the sacred fire for the national team was burning a little less. That was already the case after the European Championships, so he decided to give it up for a while.

In the spring, when the jump-off matches for retention in the Nations League and the World Cup qualifiers were coming up, he would pick up the thread again.

It is very important for the Red Devils that Lukaku is back and wants to take the lead.

Peter Vandenbempt

But look, he’s made a surprise return. We don’t know exactly why that is. In any case, the national coach has indicated that he did not have to specifically persuade or motivate Lukaku.

Tedesco did not really want to say that a conversation had been necessary between them, but according to our information it did happen. Even yesterday.

In any case, it is a very good signal from Lukaku himself and very important for the Red Devils that he is back and that he wants to take the lead again.

Lukaku had made an analysis of the current generation. “If you don’t put pressure on yourself and push yourself, it’s going to be difficult,” he said.

The national coach was confronted about it, but he actually talked around it a bit. In any case, he concluded by saying that he did not have the impression that those players did not want to push or hurt themselves.

He said he would not allow players who were not willing to do so to play or be selected. They may get a few chances, but if they don’t, they are out of the picture.

Lukaku will still be welcomed with open arms as one of the great leaders.

Peter Vandenbempt

It was clear that that was Lukaku’s analysis – or at least the feeling. A kind of wake-up call or message that he wanted to send to this generation of Red Devils.

It was clear that Lukaku is – for the time being – disappointed in what he sees around him and that was one of the reasons why he was slightly less motivated, together with that unfortunate European Championship he played.

As I understand it, there doesn’t need to be too much talking between Lukaku and the Red Devils. It is of course possible to see how they react to this and what they thought about it.

But again: he will simply return and will still be welcomed with open arms as one of the great leaders. And someone who can score goals, because if he is not there, that is a huge problem.

Youri Tielemans is not available due to an injury. The national coach himself already indicated: don’t be shocked if he does play at Aston Villa at the weekend. But he suffered a knee injury for the Red Devils against France in Lyon.

That has gradually become a bigger problem and that is why he will rest his knee for two weeks after the weekend. Tielemans has indicated that he wants to do that in order to be top fit again.

That is a shame, because it is gradually the very best version of Youri Tielemans that we have been seeing for a few weeks at Aston Villa and actually also with the national team.

It has always been a question mark, an unfulfilled potential, especially in the shirt of the Red Devils. That now seemed to be going in the right direction, so it is a shame that he will not be there for the match against Italy.

We also look forward to the return of Romeo Lavia. He has been absent for a year and a half due to many injuries. He was there in the very first match under Domenico Tedesco in the spring of 2023.

Lavia is one of the greatest talents at the Red Devils. He is now doing great in the Premier League at Chelsea.

In principle, he should become one of the driving players and pioneers in midfield for the Red Devils in the coming years.

So we’re definitely looking forward to what he can bring. I guess we can still watch him for part of the game or maybe even the two games.

In principle, Romeo Lavia should become one of the key players for the Red Devils in the coming years.

Peter Vandenbempt

Matte Smets, who is rightly showered with praise in the Jupiler Pro League, was there last time, but dropped out with an injury. He is fit now, I assume also ready to play.

The general tenor is that Matte Smets has the potential to claim a permanent place with the Red Devils in the long term. Then the coming competitions seem like an excellent opportunity to try it out.

The Red Devils will take on Italy in the Nations League next week, but what is still at stake?

Mathematically it is still possible – we will dust off that sentence again – but in principle the chance that Belgium will still reach the quarter-finals has become tiny. To achieve this, they have to win twice and the other results have to be better than expected.

The main point is to collect points for the FIFA ranking. This is important in view of the draws for the upcoming major tournaments.

And also to build customer loyalty and gain confidence in order to possibly give England a match in the spring – who knows, they are a possibility.

It is of the utmost importance that Belgium remains in the top division of the Nations League after the jump-off matches, which they will probably play in the spring. In principle, this guarantees top competitions for the next edition.

Really hoping that Belgium can still qualify for the quarter-finals seems like a utopia to me.

After the Golden Generation dropped out, interest in the Red Devils is a little less with the new generation.

Peter Vandenbempt

Is customer loyalty necessary? Le Soir’s colleagues took a look at the viewing figures for the national team. We have to conclude that they have fallen drastically.

They made the comparison between the viewing figures in Belgium for the 2019 Nations League – you could say the peak of the Golden Generation – and now. Viewing figures have fallen by as much as 30 percent.

From approximately 1.8 million to 1.25 million. That’s a drastic drop in ratings. This has all kinds of consequences, including in terms of sponsorship and publicity.

That is why it is of the utmost importance that the Red Devils build customer loyalty, as they already did in the home match against France.

The stadium against Italy is already completely sold out, but after the Golden Generation dropped out, interest in the Red Devils is a little less with the new generation.