In less than three months, the Red Devils will play their first group match of the European Championship against Slovakia. National coach Domenico Tedesco will therefore soon have to make his final selection. However, some players are already in danger of having to put their European Championship dream aside.
It is not made easy for Tedesco in the run-up to his first major tournament as national coach. During the previous European Championship and World Cup, 26 players were admitted each time. A consequence of the corona pandemic. But UEFA decided to abolish this measure for EURO 2024.
As a result, Tedesco will have to make do with ‘only’ 23 European Championship tickets for his players, of which 3 are served for goalkeepers. And therefore only 20 field players are allowed to go to Germany. And yet there is quite a bit of opulence in certain positions.
Extra attacker
That is why the national coach would, for example, want to call up as many players as possible at the back who can be deployed in multiple positions in the defense. This would mean he would only have to call up 7 defenders. In this way he hopes to create a place for an extra attacking force.
In midfield, Amadou Onana, Kevin De Bruyne, Orel Mangala and Youri Tielemans seem certain. There will probably be one more midfielder. Since guys like Leandro Trossard and Charles De Ketelaere can also function as playmakers, they may become a more controlling type.
Vranckx and Vermeeren in danger
Two of the options for this position already came into action against Ireland on Saturday. But both Arthur Vermeeren and Aster Vranckx did anything but perform well. According to SudPresse their European Championship selection is therefore in danger. Analyst Philippe Albert already suggests an alternative option, someone who does make minutes at his club every week. And so the injured Mandela Keita could well become one of the big winners of the current international break…
