No fear for Zizou! Van Bommel promises attacking blitz as De Rode Duivels target France upset

Belgium head coach Mark van Bommel declared that his squad will maintain their high-intensity, proactive approach when hosting France at the King Baudouin Stadium. Known affectionately as De Rode Duivels, Belgium enter Monday's Nations League match full of belief following an impressive 2-0 away victory against Italy in Rome.

Van Bommel praised his players' immediate tactical readiness during training sessions ahead of the marquee fixture.

He stressed that Belgium's core principles will remain intact regardless of the opposition's status.

Acknowledging the step up in quality, Van Bommel expressed regret that France star Kylian Mbappe is unavailable for the clash. However, the Belgian coach stressed that his group possesses the intelligence and work rate to execute their pressing system effectively against world-class opposition.

He highlighted the opening 35 minutes against Italy as the benchmark for sustained international success.

"We want to play every time just like we played in Italy," Van Bommel stated. "We want to dominate against France as well, to win the ball back quickly. That will be more difficult than against Italy, but the idea remains the same. You can be outplayed, but that's not a problem if everyone knows what to do."

The fixture carries added intrigue as Zinedine Zidane continues his managerial tenure with Les Bleus following Didier Deschamps' departure. Van Bommel, who faced Zidane during his playing days with Barcelona in a 1-1 El Clasico draw, acknowledged the Frenchman's icon status while insisting France remain beatable.

He noted that while France showed quality in their recent 1-0 victory over Turkey, opponents still created scoring opportunities.

"Zidane is an exceptional footballer," Van Bommel added. "He has also won a lot as a coach. But it is not the case that they are always the best and always play good football. We have to be confident in ourselves."

Belgium complete their matchday preparations in Brussels aiming to secure back-to-back victories in Group A. Van Bommel views the fixture as an ideal benchmark to prove whether Les Diables Rouges can sustain high-level intensity for 90 minutes.

France prepare to face Italy at the Stade de France in their subsequent Nations League outing on October 2.

Belgium look to deliver a statement victory in front of a sold-out home crowd.