Garcia Acknowledges Belgium’s Need for Improvement Following Defeat to Ukraine in His Debut Match

Belgium’s hopes of a revival were dealt a significant setback on Thursday, as Rudi Garcia’s team fell to a 3-1 defeat against Ukraine in a Nations League playoff, increasing the pressure on the new coach following a challenging start.

The Belgians went ahead five minutes before half-time with a goal from Romelu Lukaku. However, in the second half, substitutes Oleksiy Hutsuliak and Vladyslav Vanat, along with Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi, turned the game around to claim victory for Ukraine.

“We’ll analyse the match, but there’s no doubt we need to improve our defensive game,” Garcia remarked post-match.

“We need to play with a fierce determination. On Sunday, we’ll find out if we can call ourselves a great team. There’s much work ahead of us, especially in terms of our mental approach,” he continued.

Belgium, who were eliminated from Euro 2024 by France in the Round of 16 and finished third in League A Group Two with a mere four points from six fixtures, face the prospect of relegation from the tournament’s top tier for the first time since its inception in 2018.

Garcia, appointed in January to succeed Domenico Tedesco, included Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in his squad despite the player’s near two-year absence due to a fallout with his previous manager.

“With a new coach, we sometimes need to adjust to his expectations. We reviewed a lot of footage and worked hard in training, but ultimately, training alone isn’t sufficient,” Courtois stated.

“We need to maintain our composure. It’s essential to deliver a solid performance in front of our supporters. Sometimes, a loss like this can serve as a wake-up call as we prepare for Sunday,” he added.

Ukraine will head to Belgium for the return leg on Sunday in Genk.