Van Bommel benches Lavia and welcomes Trossard back ahead of Turkey fixture

Squad updates and injury returns

Belgium manager Mark van Bommel confirmed that winger Leandro Trossard and goalkeeper Mike Penders have returned to full training ahead of Friday's Nations League match against Turkey in Liège. Trossard missed the opening two matches with bone edema in his heel, while Penders recovered from a quadriceps injury. Both took part in Thursday's training session at the national center in Tubize after Trossard was sidelined from practice for a week. Winger Diego Moreira is suspended for the encounter after collecting yellow cards in consecutive games against Italy and France. With Moreira unavailable on the flank, the Besiktas winger is eligible for selection and in contention to rejoin the lineup.

Managing minutes for Roméo Lavia

Midfielder Roméo Lavia will begin on the substitutes' bench against Turkey despite delivering a standout display in Monday's 0-1 home defeat against France in Brussels. The Chelsea midfielder made his first international start in that fixture after coming off the bench against Italy, earning strong praise from Van Bommel for his performance. The coaching staff has decided against starting him on Friday to protect him from physical overload following past injury troubles. Lavia has made 48 appearances across three seasons since joining Chelsea in August 2023. His rotation opens a midfield vacancy that could be filled by Rangers player Nicolas Raskin, who started in Rome and has past experience playing at Sclessin.

Roméo came on against Italy, played 85 minutes against France, and was fantastic. But you can be sure that he will not start. Chelsea is careful with him and we are too. We want to use his qualities in an optimal way.

Lukaku's role and attacking options

Van Bommel also addressed the situation surrounding striker Romelu Lukaku, who remained on the bench for the entire 90 minutes against France after a brief substitute appearance at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The manager explained that he opted for Matias Fernandez-Pardo on Monday to provide additional pace against the French back line. Van Bommel travelled to Istanbul earlier this season to meet Lukaku, discussing his role and club situation at Fenerbahçe, where the forward has seen limited playing time. The coach noted that facing Turkey does not alter his tactical choices and affirmed that Lukaku's profile remains unique within the Belgian squad.

It is possible that Romelu gets playing time, whether as a starter or as a substitute. He possesses certain qualities and I considered that we could have simply benefited from more speed last Monday against France.

Preparations for the Turkey fixture

Belgium will enter the third fixture of Group A1 aiming to rebound from Monday's home defeat in Brussels and secure vital points in the standings. Turkey arrives at the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium with zero points in the group, although Van Bommel highlighted that the visitors have produced high expected goals and created dangerous scoring opportunities. The head coach pointed out that the pressure rests on the Turkish team to reverse their group standing, while Belgium will look to capitalize on the home crowd at Sclessin on Friday evening at 20:45.

This is a match that we must absolutely win. It is a crucial match, especially at home. At Sclessin, we can create a fiery atmosphere. But Turkey has no points at the moment. It is a team that misses quite a few chances, with high expected goals. It will be a difficult match where the pressure will be stronger on Turkey.