Belgium boss addresses Kevin De Bruyne fury and admits squad unrest before France clash
Domenico Tedesco is urging Belgium’s players and fans to get back singing from the same hymn sheet against France after anger and boos greeted their group stage qualification.
The Belgian boss hit out at German authorities after his side were delayed arriving in Stuttgart for the goalless draw with Ukraine, with his players unable to complete a full warm up. During the match laser pens were shone in the eyes of star man Kevin De Bruyne, who cut an angry figure as he was then booed by his own fans.
Belgium scraped into the last-16 in second place in a Group E which ended with all four teams on four points, but Tedesco says that is all water under the bridge ahead of his side’s meeting with a similarly stuttering France in Dusseldorf.
“Anyone who knows me knows I don’t like to complain, so when I do it shows how much there was to it,” said Tedesco. “The authorities and tournament organisers know that I was unhappy, but it’s over now. We qualified.
“In terms of the fans it is done and dusted now. Everybody has the right to act as they see fit. For us it was disappointing to see as it wasn’t an easy game. The fans are allowed to express what they feel. They are paying a lot of money for a ticket so it’s okay, but it’s also okay for the team to be disappointed because we were qualified.
“The moments after the game [when you’ve qualified] are important so of course we were a little bit broken. But what happened is not a topic any more.”
Domenico Tedesco says Belgium's players were hurt by fans' boos
What has been a topic in the Belgian camp in the 2018 World Cup semi-final, a match that many saw as the perfect chance for the Belgian ‘golden generation’ to finally make their mark on international football.
France beat them 1-0 in Saint Petersburg, and Tedesco - who has only been Belgium boss since February last year - admits it is on many players’ minds. “It is something that is inside our players’ heads of course, I’ve asked them,” he said. “I’ve never faced France, and we have a lot of things that can motivate us in this game, but yes that result is inside their heads.”
Midfielder Orel Mangala spent the second half of last season on loan from Nottingham Forest at Lyon, and he’s hoping that his experience of facing several French players will stand him in good stead.
De Bruyne had lasers shone at him during the Ukrainr game
“They’re all great players, obviously,” he said. “A lot play for PSG and I think the strongest of all of them is Kylian Mbappe even though he’s now left.
“Any game against France is one that gets me going. I can’t wait, it is the type of game I’ve dreamed of playing and here I am.”
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