Mark van Bommel feels nerves before Italy debut, Lukaku developing

Mark van Bommel, 49, steps into his first match as Belgium’s national team coach with just three days to ready the Rode Duivels for a showdown against Italy. He admits he is always a little nervous before a game, and he says he has no worries about striker Romelu Lukaku.

A seasoned coach on a tight timetable

Van Bommel spent one season at AC Milan, a fact that prompted an Italian‑language question at his first press conference. He replied, “Sorry, my Italian is not perfect,” then switched to Engels before finishing in Dutch. He added that being back in Rome feels different from his time in Milan. The comments were captured by Axel Brisart of Voetbal.

Balancing ambition with realism

With only three days to install his ideas, Van Bommel warned that the task is difficult, especially when the aim is to win immediately. He noted that Italy and Roberto Mancini face the same problem of limited preparation time. He hopes the team will secure three points, but stresses that development is far more important. He even wrote the city’s name as Rom in his briefing.

Van Bommel described the Italy fixture as a “beautiful challenge” that demands both ideas and victory. He said the squad must play big matches, not shy away from a double challenge of style and result. For him, recognisability and the presence of football are the primary goals.

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He wants the team to dominate possession and recover the ball instantly after losing it. According to Van Bommel, the players understand football quickly, reducing the need for a special group. He believes this approach will help the side control the game.

Van Bommel highlighted captain Youri Tielemans, calling him an intelligent player who “gets football”. He said many players in the group understand quickly, so there was no time to create a separate elite group. He added that the lack of time forced the coaching staff to inject ideas as fast as possible.

Lukaku’s role under scrutiny

When asked about striker Romelu Lukaku, Van Bommel said the forward still needs time to reach his top level. He stressed that progress cannot happen overnight and affirmed he has absolutely no worries about Lukaku. The coach believes Lukaku’s development is a gradual process rather than an immediate dream start.

Youri Tielemans gives a wooden reply to Rome, says it's not enough

Van Bommel concluded that he is not nervous at the moment, but will feel the usual match tension on the day of the game. He joked that he had already ‘released’ his starting XI to the players. He also noted that Diego Moreira, who scored three goals as a substitute, has made a very good transfer to AC Milan and is versatile for the club.