More injuries hit Belgium before last Nations League outing

They have to play without their top scorer Romelu Lukaku

Serie A - Empoli v Napoli - Stadio Carlo Castellani, Empoli, Italy - October 20, 2024 Napoli's Romelu Lukaku REUTERS

Belgium have been hit by further injuries and must do without top scorer Romelu Lukaku and key midfielder Amadou Onana for their last Nations League group game against Israel in neutral Budapest on Sunday.

Maxim De Cuyper, Romeo Lavia and Arthur Theate also miss the Group A2 match.

Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco said Lukaku, who returned for the first time since the European Championship in Thursday's 1-0 home loss to Italy, suffered a knee injury.

"He (Lukaku) won't be able to train for four to five days," Tedesco told Belgium's VTM television.

The coach added that a foot injury suffered by Onana will keep him out of Aston Villa's next matches.

Belgium had already been hit by injury withdrawals before the Italy match, which eliminated them from the running for the quarter-finals.

Captain Kevin De Bruyne had previously requested to be left out of the squad for the two remaining Nations League matches and injury meant Sebastiaan Bornauw, Koni De Winter, Jeremy Doku and Youri Tielemans were also left out of the selection.

"Of the 51 players we had in our pre-selection, half of them are out injured. We have to focus on the players that are available," Tedesco later told a press conference.

Uncapped Coventry City striker Norman Bassette was called up as cover for the match against Israel, where full back Timothy Castagne will captain the side.