Mon Oct 14 20:04:33 UTC 2024: ## France and Belgium Brace for Intense Nations League Clash

**Brussels, Belgium** – France head coach Didier Deschamps has warned his team to expect a particularly fierce battle when they face Belgium in their Nations League Group A2 clash on Monday. The Belgians are desperate for a win, having not defeated their neighbours in a competitive match since 1981.

Despite two friendly victories over France, Belgium are currently three points behind group leaders Italy and two points behind France. A win for Belgium is crucial to keep their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals alive, particularly with Italy expected to defeat Israel.

“We will have a motivated Belgian team, like they always are, but even more so on Monday,” Deschamps stated. “There’s definitely a rivalry.”

The coach acknowledges the historical rivalry between the two nations, but insists it’s not fuelled by animosity, as the players know each other well. However, Deschamps downplayed the impact of France’s past victories, stating that “it’s history… and the players aren’t the same either.”

The match arrives after France’s dominant 4-1 victory over Israel, while Belgium salvaged a 2-2 draw against Italy after falling two goals behind early in the game.

Adding to the intrigue, Belgium will be without key players Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, who opted out of the international window. Meanwhile, France is missing star forward Kylian Mbappe, who has faced criticism for his absence from the international games despite being fit to play for his club, Real Madrid.

Aurelien Tchouameni, also a Real Madrid player, will captain France in Mbappe’s absence.

The highly anticipated clash promises to be a tense encounter, with both teams battling for valuable points in the Nations League.

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