Uncapped Mandela Keita was referred to as up by Belgium on Friday so as to add chew to the midfield for its European Championship qualifiers towards Austria and Sweden this month, coach Domenico Tedesco stated on Friday.
The 21-year-old Keita, from Belgian champion Royal Antwerp, replaces Hugo Siquet in the one change to the 24-man squad from final month’s wins over Azerbaijan and Estonia.
Belgium meets Austria in a top-of-the-table conflict in Vienna on October 13 earlier than internet hosting Sweden in Brussels three days later.
“We need some physicality in the centre for these two opponents. Therefore, we have decided for Mandela,” Tedesco instructed a press convention on Friday.
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The Belgians have captain Kevin De Bruyne and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois out with long-term accidents and Tedesco stated he was happy about prime scorer Romelu Lukaku’s return to motion at AS Roma.
“He scores, his coach (Jose Mourinho) has confidence in him. That is not only good for Romelu but for us too,” he added.
Belgium is degree on 13 factors from 5 matches with Austria on the prime of Group F, with the Swedes a distant third on six factors.
Belgium squad
Goalkeepers: Arnaud Bodart (Standard Liege), Koen Casteels (VfL Wolfsburg), Thomas Kaminski (Luton Town), Matz Sels (Racing Strasbourg)
Defenders: Ameen Al-Dakhil (Burnley), Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeni Debast (Anderlecht), Wout Faes (Leicester City), Arthur Theate (Stade Rennes), Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht)
Midfielder: Yannick Carrasco (Al Shabab), Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Olivier Deman (Werder Bremen), Mandela Keita (Royal Antwerp), Orel Mangala (Nottingham Forest), Amadou Onana (Everton), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Johan Bakayoko (PSV Eindhoven), Mitchy Batshuayi (Fenerbahce), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Romelu Lukaku (AS Roma), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevillla), Lois Openda (RB Leipzig), Leonardo Trossard (Arsenal).
