- Title: Belgium prepare for soccer friendly against the Netherlands
- Date: 8th November 2016
- Summary: TUBIZE, BELGIUM (NOVEMBER 8, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BELGIUM GOALKEEPER, CHELSEA'S THIBAUT COURTOIS TRAINING BELGIUM MIDFIELDER, CHELSEA'S EDEN HAZARD WALKING ONTO THE PITCH BELGIUM SQUAD GATHERED FOR TRAINING MANCHESTER CITY'S BELGIUM MIDFIELDER KEVIN DE BRUYNE AND DEFENDER VINCENT KOMPANY DURING TRAINING VARIOUS OF BELGIUM SQUAD JOGGING BELGIUM COACH ROBERTO MARTINEZ BELGIUM ASSISTANT COACH THIERRY HENRY MARTINEZ DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) BELGIUM COACH, ROBERTO MARTINEZ, SAYING: "It is very important because this is a very intense week. But it is a really short week in terms of working time because you have two games, you have to be aware of the recovery of the players, you have to be aware of the intensity of the game. So it is almost a game that you have to work a lot in order to prepare the game properly against Estonia. So on top of that it is not just friendly - I think we all know that the rivalry and the emotion and the glamour around the game is going to make it a very competitive game. For us, I just see this game as a good opportunity, a good challenge to see how good we can be without the ball and how well we can cope with the technical ability of the Dutch side. So it is a completely different challenge that we have." KOMPANY, BELGIUM MIDFIELDER STEVEN DEFOUR, BELGIUM STRIKER, EVERTON'S ROMELU LUKAKU AND DE BRUYNE DURING TRAINING VARIOUS OF BELGIUM SQUAD DURING TRAINING KOMPANY, HAZARD AND CHELSEA'S MICHY BATSHUAYI DURING TRAINING LUKAKU / BELGIUM SQUAD DURING TRAINING MARTINEZ LOOKING AT KOMPANY (SOUNDBITE) (English) BELGIUM COACH, ROBERTO MARTINEZ, SAYING: "Vincent (Kompany) reacted very well to work yesterday. And I have seen him fresh. And, as I said before, I don't want Vincent to play the two full 90 minutes but I think he can be involved in the two games, maybe I'll make that decision tomorrow. But I have got no worries about the state that Vincent is at the moment." BELGIUM STRIKER, CRYSTAL PALACE'S CHRISTIAN BENTEKE WARMING UP AMONG HIS TEAM MATES TOTTENHAM'S JAN VERTONGHEN AND DE BRUYNE WARMING UP LUKAKU WARMING UP SQUAD WARMING UP MIDFIELDER AXEL WITSEL STRETCHING HENRY LOOKING ON AS SQUAD WARMS UP VERTONGHEN AND DE BRUYNE STRETCHING (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) JAN VERTONGHEN SAYING: "For the Netherlands as well as for us, Sunday is the most important game. For that reason, they might even be a little be more careful than us, as they have also, indeed, personal problems. But I see it as a challenge, and for me it might even be extra special. Everyone fancies a game against the Netherlands." COURTOIS TRAINING LUKAKU STRETCHING VERTONGHEN JUMPING ON TOP OF DE BRUYNE HAZARD DURING TRAINING BELGIUM SQUAD PASSING THE BALL KOMPANY KICKING THE BALL BELGIUM SQUAD DURING TRAINING / BANNER READING "BELGIAN FOOTBALL" BEHIND THE GOAL NET
- Embargoed: 23rd November 2016 18:44
- Keywords: Soccer Belh=gium Netherlands Martinez Kompany
- Location: TUBIZE, BELGIUM
- City: TUBIZE, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00157L6N9B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Belgium soccer squad took part in a training session on Tuesday (November 8) as they prepared to face neighbours the Netherlands in a friendly international on Wednesday (November 9) in Amsterdam.
Only recovering Tottenham's Mousa Dembele and injured Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini missed the training session. According to Red Devil's coach Roberto Martinez, Fellaini left Belgium's training camp and returned to Manchester United with a calf injury he picked up during the match against Swansea City last weekend.
Martinez told a news conference that he was more focus on team performance rather than in individuals. He also said that Wednesday's clash was more than just a friendly.
"It is very important because this is a very intense week. But it is a really short week in terms of working time because you have two games, you have to be aware of the recovery of the players, you have to be aware of the intensity of the game. So it is almost a game that you have to work a lot in order to prepare the game properly against Estonia. So on top of that it is not just friendly -I think we all know that the rivalry and the emotion and the glamour around the game is going to make it a very competitive game. For us, I just see this game as a good opportunity, a good challenge to see how good we can be without the ball and how well we can cope with the technical ability of the Dutch side. So it is a completely different challenge that we have," he said.
Jan Vertonghen could not agree more with Martinez.
"For the Netherlands as well as for us, Sunday is the most important game. For that reason, they might even be a little be more careful than us, as they have also, indeed, personal problems. But I see it as a challenge, and for me it might even be extra special. Everyone fancies a game against the Netherlands," he said.
The Belgians will also take on Estonia in a World Cup qualifying match on Sunday (November 13).
The Spanish coach said Kompany will feature in both games this week.
"Vincent reacted very well to work yesterday. And I have seen him fresh. And, as I said before, I don't want Vincent to play the two full 90 minutes but I think he can be involved in the two games, maybe I'll make that decision tomorrow. But I have got no worries about the state that Vincent is at the moment," he told reporters.
Boosted by a squad that includes Manchester City's Vincent Kompany and Kevin de Bruyne; Chelsea's Eden Hazard and Michy Batshuayi; Everton's Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas; Manchester United Marouane Fellaini; Tottenham's Mousa Dembele and Jan Vertonghen along with Liverpool's Simon Mignolet and Divock Origi among others, Belgium stand top of Europe's Group H with nine points out of three games. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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