THE FUSE

Italy defender Giorgio Scalvini has insisted that fatigue will not be an excuse when the Azzurri face Belgium in Brussels. The Atalanta centre-back is relishing the prospect of locking horns with his club team-mate Charles De Ketelaere in a decisive Nations League showdown.

Scalvini dismisses fatigue excuses ahead of Brussels showdown

Italy defender Giorgio Scalvini has shrugged off fixture congestion as the Azzurri prepare for their decisive UEFA Nations League Group 1 fixture against Belgium in Brussels. Coming off the back of an impressive 3-1 victory over France, Roberto Mancini's side are determined to finish the group stage on a high note and secure top spot.

Despite having limited recovery time between matches, Scalvini made it clear that exhaustion is never a valid excuse at the highest level of international football.

The Atalanta youngster is expected to feature heavily as Italy look to stifle Belgium's star-studded attack.

Scalvini embraces fierce pitch rivalry with De Ketelaere

One of the most fascinating subplots of Sunday's encounter at the Koning Boudewijnstadion will be the direct duel between Scalvini and his Atalanta club team-mate, Charles De Ketelaere.

"Charles is a great player, a somewhat atypical forward because he is good at shielding the ball, but he is also good at dribbling and attacking spaces," Scalvini said of his club colleague.

"Plus, he is a great person, we have a wonderful bond, but tomorrow we will be opponents. Each of us will do our utmost to take home the three points. This can be a match that gives us extra conviction, it is very important and we care a lot about this competition."

Brushing off physical toll to chase consistency

Addressing the physical demands placed on modern players during intense international windows, Scalvini emphasised that mental belief and proper recovery remain paramount.

"The first leg was not a positive match for the result, but even in Rome in the second half we did good things," Scalvini recalled, referencing their opening defeat to Belgium. "We believed in it, conviction is the most important thing and tomorrow we will play the match to the maximum with the right attitude."

Reiterating his stance on squad fatigue, the central defender added: "Once a match is over, you have to recover your energy and prepare for the next one to the maximum. We had few days to rest, but this is not an excuse and that's it. Tomorrow we will try to do our best."

Azzurri eye momentum heading toward major tournaments

For Scalvini and his defensive colleagues, keeping a clean sheet against a technically gifted Belgian side will provide invaluable confidence as Italy look ahead to future international cycles.

With the Azzurri holding a slight advantage at the top of Group 1, a professional performance in Brussels will cement their status among Europe's elite.

Scalvini and his team-mates are fully focused on delivering a disciplined display to cap off a successful group campaign.

A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.

Football Story

Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.

Areas of Expertise

Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .

Favourite Footballing Memory

Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.

My All-Time XI

It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.

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