Belgium’s defender Thomas Meunier (right) celebrates with Belgium’s forward Romelu Lukaku after scoring his team’s second goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 Group B football match between Belgium and Russia at the Saint Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg on June 12, 2021.
(AFP/ANTON VAGANOV )
B
elgium have no intention of playing a cagey defensive game when they meet Italy in Friday’s European Championship quarter-final, but expect there will be times in the match when they will be pinned back, coach Roberto Martinez said on Tuesday.
The top-ranked Belgians showed both sides of their game in eliminating holders Portugal in Sunday’s last-16 tie in Seville, attacking with a quick passing game to score the only goal but having to deal with heavy pressure from the physical Portuguese.
“Against Italy it is going to be different because they are a team that from the first second are going to attack, they are going to be very dynamic,” Martinez predicted of the match-up in Munich.
“They are very well structured and have a real understanding of what each player’s role is. It is going to be a game where the two teams’ approaches are going to be similar. We’ll have to defend well.”
However, Belgium would not look to sit back and counter attack themselves, the coach insisted.
“There is no chance of that, given the talent we have that wants to be on the ball. But at a tournament like this there are moments where you suffer and you must make sure then that you don’t concede.
“But the DNA of the Belgian national team will never change. We are a team that wants to be in possession, we want to be an attacking threat and we want to show the talent that we have to win games. But sometimes to win games you have to show another side that allows you to win,” he added.
Martinez admitted he was an admirer of the Italian side. “They have been unbeaten for 31 games and you don’t do that unless you are a very, very good team.
"It’s a challenge we look forward to. We showed against Portugal we can face up to the very best."