On the eve of the upcoming UEFA A League match between Belgium and Israel in the early hours of September 7 Beijing time, Belgian midfielder Core De Bruyne spoke at the team's press conference about the intensity of this season's fixtures, his personal form, his expectations for the UEFA Nations League, and the absence of Romelu Lukaku.
Talking about the intensive nature of this season's schedule, De Bruyne expressed his helplessness and dissatisfaction. He pointed out that with the approach of next year's Club World Cup, the players will face unprecedented challenges, from the Club World Cup final to the start of the Premier League only three weeks between the rest and preparation, which is a great test for the players' physical and psychological. He further revealed that the players have to play close to 80 matches per season, a schedule that undoubtedly adds to the burden of the players. De Bruyne also criticized UEFA and FIFA for only caring about financial benefits while neglecting the physical and mental health of the players.
Speaking about his personal form, De Bruyne said that the start of the season has been good for him, but he is also conscious of the fact that it will be a challenging season. He confessed that if he feels too much pressure, he will communicate with manager Tedesco in time to find the best way to cope. At the same time, he also expressed his overcoming of the brief loss after the end of last season's Europa League and has fully focused on the new season.
Regarding the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches, De Bruyne said that the team will pursue the best performance as always. He mentioned that there are new players in the team and the coaching team wants to give them a chance to grow. At the same time, he also frankly said that due to being in the same group with France, Belgium is not the favorite team in the UEFA Nations League, but this will not affect them to go all out to win every game.
Finally, De Bruyne also spoke about Lukaku's absence. He expressed his understanding of Lukaku's decision to opt for a rest after the transfer, believing that it could have been a better option for him personally. But he is also confident that Lukaku will return to the squad and continue to contribute to the Belgium team. De Bruyne's words show his deep affection for his teammates and his firm confidence in the team's future.
