Castagne Prepares for French Offensive Options
The Fulham right-back took questions alongside national team coach Mark van Bommel during a press conference addressing the upcoming international clash. Castagne remains the established first-choice option on the right side of the Belgian defense, especially with his primary positional rival, Thomas Meunier, omitted from the squad. Van Bommel spoke with Meunier personally regarding the decision, leaving the experienced defender to accept his exclusion despite understandable disappointment. Castagne now faces a demanding evening matching up against France’s deep attacking roster.
France Navigates Without Kylian Mbappé
While opponents like Italy possess less squad depth, France maintains a particularly extensive talent pool capable of reaching the latter stages of major tournaments, including the European Championship, World Cup, and Nations League. However, Les Bleus enter the fixture missing their most prominent name. Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé suffered a hyperextension of the joint capsule at the back of his left knee and sits out the entire international window. Castagne noted that while facing France without their talisman changes the defensive preparation, the assignment remains complex due to the quality waiting in reserve. “Of course that changes a little bit, but the players behind him, like Barcola and Doué, are also serious. They have so many qualities,” Castagne told reporters.
Chasing a First Victory Against France Since 2015
Belgium has not beaten France since 2015, suffering defeats since that friendly victory. Castagne downplayed the fixture as a revenge mission, emphasizing the squad’s primary objective. “We just want to win this time. Last time, in the Nations League, we should have done better. Now we have started well with the new system and the new coach,” the Fulham defender said. In a contrasting assessment following a recent match, coach Mark van Bommel expressed satisfaction with his team’s commitment despite a narrow defeat, telling VTM that every player deserved at least a rating of seven out of ten.
Van Bommel Prioritizes Pace over Lukaku
Van Bommel defended his choice to leave record goalscorer Romelu Lukaku on the bench for the full ninety minutes, explaining that he sought additional pace through players like Matias Fernandez-Pardo rather than wearing out his squad across a packed international calendar. Meanwhile, Castagne highlighted the emerging contributions of younger teammates, pointing to Mika Godts’ performances following Eredivisie experience and praising center-back Nathan Ngoy for winning a starting berth ahead of Arthur Theate and Zeno Debast due to his physical strength and speed.
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