Belgium head coach Tedesco attended a press conference before the match

What are your expectations for tomorrow’s match?  
Tedesco: "All matches are important, and some are for developing players. We are currently missing some players, and we had to call up younger ones, but preparing for a match without focusing on the result is difficult. Everything we do in training is aimed at getting a good result, but we also hope to see the team perform well in other aspects."

How is Belgium moving forward after the disappointment of the European Championship?  
Tedesco: "We tried to turn the page quickly because our performance at the European Championship was disappointing. We played against some teams we thought might be weaker, but they proved themselves capable of competing with us in this tournament. While we don’t have players like Lukaku, De Bruyne, and Amadou Onana now, we still have important young players who can help us achieve good results."

Can we expect a different system for this match?  
Tedesco: "For this match, tactics are not the most important thing. In the last two years, we’ve used both four and five defenders in Belgium, and overall, I think the tactics depend on the players the coach has at his disposal. It also depends on the type of game you want to play. We have to work to make sure the best players are in the positions where they can perform best."

What direction do you think Italy is heading under Spalletti? 
Tedesco: "They’ve changed their system, now using a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formation, but this is not entirely new. They did this in the Euros against Croatia as well. They play very directly, often finding the wing-backs through passing transitions, and they frequently fill the box with players. They’ve been performing well in the Nations League, beating Israel and France, and are currently in a positive phase."

What emotions do you have ahead of tomorrow’s match against Italy? Is coaching in Serie A a dream for you?  
Tedesco: "Now is not the time to talk about my dreams. People have known me for several years now, and I always focus on the next objective. We’ve been preparing for this match for weeks, and now we have to aim for victory in Italy’s capital, in front of a packed stadium. I can’t hide my love for Italy; this is my first time leading a team against Italy."

Have you been in contact with Saelemaekers? Will he be in your plans afterward?  
Tedesco: "Yes, we’ve been in touch since he had surgery. I learned about his serious injury the night of the match against Genoa and immediately sent him a message. He’s a top-level young player who can help us a lot on the pitch, as he can play in multiple positions. He will definitely be in our plans."

Will you be focusing more on wing play?  
Tedesco: "If you watched the Euros, you’ll know we have wingers who cut inside and enter the box, while the full-backs push forward more. We have players of this type. Ultimately, it always depends on the players we field, as well as our opponents, but most importantly, it depends on our own ideas."

Is it time to give De Ketelaere a starting opportunity? 
Tedesco: "Yes, I think he deserves it. He has been performing very well at Atalanta and has become an important player for them. He also has the ability to play a key role for us. After the Euros, we made some changes, and we didn’t consider calling up some of the players we used during the tournament. This wasn’t due to a drop in their performances, but rather because we wanted to assess players we had used less. De Ketelaere has been excellent and deserves a chance to play."

How do you feel about Lukaku’s decision not to participate in this match? Will he be back in February? 
Tedesco: "He decided not to be here this time but hasn’t told us if he’ll be back in January or February. He might return in November. I understand his decision. He moved to Napoli quite late and didn’t have a long preseason to prepare, so he’s not at his best yet, but he’s working on it. Coach Conte confirmed this as well, so there’s no issue. We are focused on the players we have now."

With many key players missing, will the team’s quality decline? What qualities do the current players have, and how can you threaten Italy? 
Tedesco: "There’s a lot we can discuss, but the most important thing is to focus on the players we have now. This team deserves my full effort. Of course, people always want to talk about the past, but the reasons why many are absent are clear. I have no doubts about the quality of the players here. We have excellent young talent and other great players who haven’t been called up yet. Smets was selected because he deserves it. He did very well at Sint-Truiden and now at Genk. He deserves to be here. We want to assess his level in person because observing live is different from watching videos or sitting in the stands. Italy is a strong team, no doubt. They’ve been performing very well recently, and we have to make sure we use our strengths to threaten them. We want to show our style in the game, avoid basic mistakes in both defense and attack, and keep improving. These games help us move toward success, and they’re the ones we wake up every day to fight for."

Can you explain your decision regarding the goalkeepers? 
Tedesco: "We’re talking about details. The other goalkeepers have performed well. That doesn’t mean we’ll use the same one in the next game, but we will certainly continue to rely on Sels in this position."

Will there be an opportunity to use a three-defender system?
Tedesco: "Using a three-defender system always has its pros and cons, at least in high-pressing phases. When you’re not in possession, the system has its advantages, and when you are in possession, you can push the wing players higher. It’s nothing new for us; we’ve used it before, and it won’t be an issue. We can even switch systems during the game. What matters most is attitude, not the tactical system."