Belgium without Lukaku, De Bruyne for Nations League matches against France, Italy

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco called up four new players Friday for upcoming games against Italy and France in the Nations League while leaving out stalwarts Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne.

Malick Fofana, Cyril Ngonge, Matte Smets and Maarten Vandevoordt are the quartet of newcomers. Tedesco said the Nations League is the right tournament to test players.

“We will not do it during the important World Cup qualification,” he said.

Belgium plays Italy the Stadio Olimpico in Rome next week before hosting France. Italy tops the group with six points ahead of Belgium and France, which are tied with three points each. Israel is in last place having lost its first two matches.

Tedesco said he spoke with the injured De Bruyne over the phone and that the Manchester City midfielder “is very motivated” to continue playing for the national team and to play at the next World Cup. The Belgium captain did not hide his frustration last month during Belgium’s 2-0 defeat to France in Lyon in the Nations League, raising questions about his commitment to the team.

“He asked us to be out for this camp and also before the November camp to take care of his body,” Tedesco said. “Of course we understand."

Along with Lukaku, De Bruyne is the last remaining link to the previous generation of Belgian players but might not be around for much longer, especially with injuries impacting his seasons in the last couple of years at City. He picked up his latest muscle injury last month during a Champions league match with Inter.

Tedesco said that Lukaku also asked to be excused because he does not feel at his top level following his late transfer to Napoli.

“So he asked us also for this camp at least to work individually in Napoli,” he said. "Similar situations."

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Belgium squad:

Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Al Qadsiah), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest), Maarten Vandevoordt (Leipzig).

Defenders Sebastiaan Bornauw (Wolfsburg), Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Brugge), Wout Faes (Leicester), Matte Smets (Genk), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt), Koni De Winter (Genoa).

Midfielders: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa), Orel Mangala (Lyon), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Arne Engels (Augsburg), Malick Fofana (Lyon).

Forwards: Johan Bakayoko (PSV), Jérémy Doku (Manchester City), Dodi Lukebakio (FC Sevilla), Loïs Openda (Leipzig), Cyril Ngonge (Napoli), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal).

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer