Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco insists his underachieving stars will play without fear in their crucial Euro 2024 clash against Romania.
Tedesco’s side are fighting to avoid another disappointing appearance at a major tournament after suffering a shock 1-0 loss to Slovakia in their Group E opener.
Another defeat for Belgium at the hands of Romania in Cologne on Saturday would not mathematically eliminate them, but it would be a huge blow to their chances of reaching the last 16.
Having bowed out at the group stage of the 2022 World Cup and lost in the quarter-finals of the last two Euros, the star-studded Belgians are in danger of squandering their golden generation’s latest chance of silverware. Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku — the key players expected to fuel Belgium’s challenge — all failed to impress against Slovakia. But Tedesco is confident they will rise to the occasion in the vital Romania showdown.