• Belgium's forward Romelu Lukaku and Belgium's midfielder Thorgan Hazard (R) attend their team's MD-1 training session at the team's base camp in Tubize on July 1, 2021 on the eve of their UEFA EURO 2020 quarter-final football match against Italy. (Photo by Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP)
    Belgium's forward Romelu Lukaku and Belgium's midfielder Thorgan Hazard (R) attend their team's MD-1 training session at the team's base camp in Tubize on July 1, 2021 on the eve of their UEFA EURO 2020 quarter-final football match against Italy. (Photo by Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP)
  • Belgium coach Thierry Henry during training.
    Belgium coach Thierry Henry during training.
  • Belgium defenders Dedryck Boyata, left, and Thomas Meunier.
    Belgium defenders Dedryck Boyata, left, and Thomas Meunier.
  • Belgium coach Thierry Henry, centre, at training.
    Belgium coach Thierry Henry, centre, at training.
  • Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans.
    Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans.
  • Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
    Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
  • Belgium midfielder Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco.
    Belgium midfielder Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco.
  • Belgium manager Roberto Martinez with his assistant Thierry Henry.
    Belgium manager Roberto Martinez with his assistant Thierry Henry.
  • Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku controls the ball during training.
    Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku controls the ball during training.
  • Belgium's Dries Mertens, right, speaks with Toby Alderweireld during training.
    Belgium's Dries Mertens, right, speaks with Toby Alderweireld during training.
  • Belgium forward Christian Benteke.
    Belgium forward Christian Benteke.
  • Belgium manager Roberto Martinez.
    Belgium manager Roberto Martinez.
  • Belgium coach Thierry Henry oversees training.
    Belgium coach Thierry Henry oversees training.
  • Belgium midfielder Thorgan Hazard, centre.
    Belgium midfielder Thorgan Hazard, centre.
  • Belgium defender Toby Alderweireld.
    Belgium defender Toby Alderweireld.
  • Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel, right.
    Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel, right.
  • Belgium's Romelu Lukaku and Thorgan Hazard.
    Belgium's Romelu Lukaku and Thorgan Hazard.
  • Belgium midfielder Thorgan Hazard.
    Belgium midfielder Thorgan Hazard.
  • Belgium's Romelu Lukaku.
    Belgium's Romelu Lukaku.

Belgium train ahead of Italy Euro 2020 tie but wait on De Bruyne and Hazard - in pictures


  • English
  • Arabic

Belgium will "wait until the last minute" before deciding if key duo Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne are fit for their Euro 2020 quarter-final clash with Italy on Friday.

Manchester City midfielder De Bruyne picked up an ankle injury after a challenge from behind from Portugal's Joao Palhinha during Belgium's 1-0 last-16 win and was substituted just after half-time.

Captain Hazard tweaked his hamstring and was taken off three minutes before the end of the game.

Both players missed the Red Devils' final training session on Thursday before the game in Munich 24 hours later, and while full-back Timothy Castagne has rejoined the squad following a fractured eye socket, he is unlikely to feature.

““We all know we are fighting against time,” said Belgium manager Roberto Martinez said of De Bruyne and Hazard's chances of playing at the Allianz Arena. "We are going to wait until the last minute to make that decision.

“We'll see tomorrow if they can be involved or not. Unfortunately, at the moment we cannot make a decision.”

Belgium saw off Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in Seville thanks to Thorgan Hazard's goal and held on despite the injuries to De Bruyne and Eden Hazard.

Martinez's side, ranked No 1 in the Fifa world rankings, now face Roberto Mancini's Italy, who have made a perfect start to Euro 2020 and made it 31 matches unbeaten with their last-16 win over Austria, thanks to Matteo Pessina's extra-time winner.

“You are seeing the two best teams statistically in this competition,” said Martinez. “We had to face Portugal really early and now Italy and I think it is a shame for both national teams that we face each other at this stage.”



Updated: July 02, 2021, 11:28 AM