Vincenzo Montella, who has been facing increasing criticism, hopes to make it to Bologna
Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey team is looking to bounce back in Liège, where it will face Belgium at 8:45 p.m. with the goal of earning its first points of the tournament. Defeats against France and Italy have left the red-and-white national team still at zero points, with a hefty -4 goal differential.
The pressure on the Campania-born head coach has increased significantly in recent weeks. Compounding the difficulties on the field are the absences of two key players, Calhanoglu and Yildiz, while fan discontent has become increasingly evident. Already in Bursa, Turkish supporters had openly expressed their dissatisfaction with the team’s performance.
Amid this atmosphere, rumors regarding a possible dismissal of “Aeroplanino” have also gained traction. Much could hinge on the next two matches: after the away game in Belgium, Turkey will face the Azzurri in the return leg in Bologna on Monday. Two negative results could make Montella’s position even more precarious, but a heavy defeat in Liège could suddenly accelerate events. A few names for a potential replacement are already circulating.
On the other hand, Belgium also comes into this match with some internal issues to deal with. The Red Devils lost at home to France after defeating Italy in Rome, but media attention in recent hours has focused primarily on Romelu Lukaku’s situation. The forward has played a total of just seven minutes in the first two matches under Van Bommel, a situation that has reportedly deeply disappointed him and is fueling increasingly persistent rumors of a possible permanent split with the Belgian national team. This past summer, when interviewed after his Champions League debut with Fenerbahçe against Lyon, Big Rom had stated that he wanted to continue playing for the national team until 2030, but the current situation seems difficult to reconcile with those words.
There’s no shortage of recent incidents to further color the build-up. In Belgium’s 2-0 victory over Italy on the first matchday of the Nations League, it was Lukaku himself who sparked a minor diplomatic incident in the post-match: after the final whistle, the striker mimed the match’s score with his fingers at Gianluigi Donnarumma, provoking a furious reaction from the Italian goalkeeper. A scuffle ensued, complete with harsh words and some shoving, so much so that the referee was forced to issue yellow cards to both players. This incident clearly illustrates the tensions surrounding a player of Lukaku’s caliber, whose future with the national team remains as uncertain as ever.
On the Turkish front, Montella now finds himself having to motivate a team that’s already been through a lot, missing its best players and still reeling from the fans’ protests. The coach from Campania himself, on the eve of the match against Italy in Bursa, had reaffirmed his connection to Turkey with clear words: “I’ve lived here for five years and worked for the federation for three; they’re making me feel like one of them, and my mind and heart will belong only to them.” Words that now sound like a commitment to be honored precisely during the most difficult hours of his tenure, with his position on the bench teetering and a match that could prove decisive for his future.
