Eden Hazard has described himself and Kevin De Bruyne as Belgium‘s game- changers ahead of their Euro 2016 opener against Italy tomorrow.
Hazard endured a challenging season for Chelsea, but the winger remains one of the key players for his national side, while De Bruyne made a stellar impact in his first campaign with Manchester City.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Hazard said: “Kevin and me are two players who can make the difference. Some days it’s me, some days it’s Kevin. We play together.”
Prevailing past a well-organised Italy side won’t be an easy task, but Belgium’s squad contains an abundance of quality, particularly in an attacking sense.
Despite missing a significant proportion of the campaign through injury, De Bruyne still managed to play a key part for City, as demonstrated by the fact that he created 81 chances for his team-mates. In addition to his pinpoint passing and sublime dribbling, the 24-year-old is capable of shooting effectively from distance.
Although they are deprived of the services of Vincent Kompany due to injury, Belgium still have a strong defence, with Tottenham Hotspur pair Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen likely to resume their resolute partnership.
Up front another Premier League player, Everton’s Romelu Lukaku is likely to lead the line, with the striker having scored 18 goals in the top flight this season.
After tomorrow’s game against Italy, Belgium conclude the group stage with fixtures against the Republic of Ireland and Sweden.
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