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How Belgium could line up against Italy

How Belgium could line up against Italy
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Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how Belgium could line up for Friday's Euro 2020 quarter-final clash with Italy.

Belgium are set to take on Italy in the Euro 2020 quarter-finals, at Munich's Allianz Arena, with several selection headaches being thrown up by injuries sustained last time out against Portugal.

Having remained unbeaten this year, the world's top-ranked side now face perhaps their toughest test without two integral players - at least from the start.

Both playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and injury-plagued captain Eden Hazard came off carrying knocks in Seville, and neither will be fully fit for Friday's quarter-final clash, so their involvement remains a last-minute call.

Head coach Roberto Martinez confirmed that while they had avoided serious injury, scans showed that Hazard has a hamstring issue and De Bruyne has sustained ankle ligament damage. The latter was seen with an ice pack strapped to his ankle after he was substituted, but could walk freely around the pitch after Belgium's win - offering hope that he may feature from the start.

Versatile winger Yannick Carrasco and young Jeremy Doku are the most likely men to cover the potential absence of two of the squad's superstars, with the pair poised to come into an otherwise unchanged starting XI if required.

After Timothy Castagne was ruled out having sustained facial fractures in the opening match, Thomas Meunier and in-form Thorgan Hazard have been occupying the flanks, with Youri Tielemans and fit-again Axel Witsel set to stay in the middle.

In attack, Golden Boot-contender Romelu Lukaku - whose strike against Finland earlier in the competition was a record-extending 63rd for his country - leads the line for the most experienced squad at these Euros: a group containing five players with 100 caps or more.

Meanwhile, uncapped goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski will take a place on the bench, having been called up as cover when Simon Mignolet withdrew due to a knee injury sustained in the warm-up last week.

Belgium possible starting lineup: Courtois; Alderweireld, Vermaelen, Vertonghen; T. Hazard, Witsel, Tielemans, Meunier; De Bruyne, Lukaku, Doku

> Click here to see how Italy could line up for Friday's Euro 2020 quarter-final

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How you voted: Belgium vs Italy

Belgium
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Italy
51.3%
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