With Axel Witsel but without Thibaut Courtois: here is the Red Devils’ selection for the Euro

Domenico Tedesco revealed his list of… 25 Red Devils for the Euro this Tuesday, in Tubize. With the big return of Axel Witsel. Maxim De Cuyper and Arthur Vermeeren are also present, unlike Michy Batshuayi.

For his first selection for a major tournament, Domenico Tedesco went for the classic. While he made sure to recall Axel Witsel for the first time during his tenure, it’s not a big surprise considering the trend of recent days and the recurring problems in defense. Thibaut Courtois, on the other hand, stays at home. Unlike Maxim De Cuyper and Arthur Vermeeren, who have earned a place in the… 25. Two additional players, considered as substitutes in case of injuries, will join the squad. Their names will be announced in the coming days. “To be honest, we haven’t decided on their identity yet. But of course, we have some ideas,” conceded Tedesco.

“Axel Witsel is a player of great quality, you just have to look at his consistency with Atlético Madrid,” justified Domenico Tedesco. “We met, even before Jan Vertonghen’s injury, and we talked about the situation. He can bring his experience to the young defenders of the team. I think we found the right balance between experience and youth in this selection. Witsel’s presence is also explained by the fact that I was not convinced by some defenders of the team during previous gatherings.”

Michy Batshuayi upset by his non-selection Asked about Michy Batshuayi’s absence, the coach explained: “Leaving him at home was my most difficult choice. He’s a great player, who has helped us a lot in several gatherings. But I called him on Monday to explain my decision to only take two strikers. Knowing that Charles De Ketelaere can also play in this position. Naturally, Michy was disappointed and upset by this choice. Making this kind of phone call is the most unpleasant part of my job.”

When asked if the Courtois issue was closed, Tedesco somewhat dodged the question: “Thibaut Courtois has been very clear in his communication, already a few months ago. He knows his body, he doesn’t feel ready to play in a competition of this density with matches every three or four days. That’s the latest information we’ve taken into account.”

Maxim De Cuyper discovers the selection

The other player to be called up for the first time by Tedesco is Bruges left-back De Cuyper: “I had already talked about Maxim several times, we have been following him since I took over the selection. We haven’t seen him yet for various reasons, including competition in his position. But he convinced me in his last matches, especially against Fiorentina in the Conference League.”

The complete selection

Goalkeepers (3): Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg/Ger), Thomas Kaminski (Luton Town/Eng), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest/Eng)

Defenders (8): Timothy Castagne (Fulham/Eng), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Brugge), Wout Faes (Leicester/Eng), Thomas Meunier (Trabzonspor/Tur), Arthur Theate (Rennes/Fra), Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht), Axel Witsel (Atlético Madrid/Spa)

Midfielders (8): Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City/Eng), Yannick Carrasco (Al-Shabab/Sau), Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta/Ita), Amadou Onana (Everton/Eng), Orel Mangala (Lyon/Fra), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa/Eng), Arthur Vermeeren (Atlético Madrid/Spa), Aster Vranckx (Wolfsburg/Ger)

Forwards (6): Johan Bakayoko (PSV/Ned), Jérémy Doku (Manchester City/Eng), Romelu Lukaku (AS Roma/Ita), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla/Spa), Loïs Openda (RB Leipzig/Ger), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal/Eng)