Belgium internationals showed encouraging form for their clubs this week, with decisive performances in league and European action. Romelu Lukaku scored for Fenerbahçe, while Youri Tielemans provided an assist for Manchester United.
Lukaku responds in the league
Following a heavy Champions League defeat to Aston Villa (6-0), where he came on as a substitute, Romelu Lukaku delivered in the Süper Lig. The striker opened the scoring for Fenerbahçe in a 3-0 home win over Alanyaspor before being substituted in the 81st minute. This positive strike comes as the Red Devils prepare for their next trip to Turkey to face the national team on November 12th. Lukaku also scored in Belgium's last win, a 3-0 victory over Turkey on October 2nd.
Other notable displays
Several other Belgium players were active. Nicolas Raskin scored for Rangers, although his side drew 2-2 with Dundee in the Premiership. Meanwhile, Youri Tielemans provided an assist for Manchester United, who shared the points in a 1-1 draw with Leeds. The midfielder was also decisive in Belgium's last win, a 3-0 victory over Turkey, where he assisted Kevin De Bruyne for the second goal.
Defenders Timothy Castagne and Senne Lammens both played the full 90 minutes in their matches, contributing to positive results for Fulham and Manchester United respectively. Maxim De Cuyper featured in two wins for Brighton, including a comprehensive Premier League victory. Jari Busser started both of AZ Alkmaar's matches this week.
Context for the national team
These club performances come as Belgium shows mixed form in its recent official matches. This recent sequence, which has alternated wins and defeats, began with a 2-0 win in Italy on September 25th, followed by a 0-1 home loss to France on September 28th, then the 3-0 win over Turkey before the defeat in France. The next fixture, away to Turkey on November 12th, presents a chance for redemption. The national team will be relying on the continuation of this individual form to secure a vital victory on the road. Coach Domenico Tedesco will closely monitor the fitness of all his potential call ups in the coming weeks.
