Charles De Ketelaere says his time in Serie A has changed him as a player, and Belgium will find out how much on Sunday when it faces Italia in a decisive UEFA Nations League match in Bruselas. The forward said the Italian game is different and very tactical, adding that the experience has made him more mature.
That matters because Belgium is fighting to finish among the top two in Group 1, and the match at the Koning Boudewijnstadion in Brussels could decide whether it goes through to the quarterfinals. De Ketelaere, who now plays for Atalanta, gave Belgium another reason to believe it can handle the pressure. He scored in the 2-1 win over Turquía in Esmirna, and Kevin De Bruyne also found the net in that game.
De Ketelaere’s comments land at a useful moment for Belgium. The team had already beaten Italia 2-0 earlier in the campaign and had recovered after a loss to Francia, but the return match still carries real weight because the group remains tight and every point matters.
The midfielder said Belgium started slowly in recent matches but improved after a draw, finding a solution and playing better. He also said, “Somos un buen equipo y es difícil ganarnos,” a line that fits a side trying to turn its form into a finish strong enough to keep control of its own fate. Against Italia, the challenge is not only the opponent’s quality but the kind of match De Ketelaere knows best: compact, tactical and decided by fine margins.
For Belgium, the next step is simple. It has to back up the confidence from earlier results and use Sunday’s meeting in Brussels to secure the place it is still chasing. For De Ketelaere, the match is also a test of whether the lessons of Serie A can help decide a campaign that has not left room for much error.
