Rudi Garcia expects battle against 'best' third team Senegal for spot in Round of 16

[p]Two major European nations have already flown home from this World Cup, as the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/netherlands/WYintcWb/"]Netherlands[/a] were beaten on penalties by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a], whilst Julian Nagelsmann's side suffered the same fate to the South Americans.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a] did see off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ivory-coast/G2FRjBgn/"]Ivory Coast[/a] thanks to a late goal from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/haaland-erling/UmV9iQmE/"]Erling Haaland[/a], but the old European and South American dominance looks to be teetering at this tournament.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a], who finished top of Group G, but won just once - a 5-1 victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-zealand/rLctHkpU/"]New Zealand[/a] - face a side that Garcia describes as the 'best' third-placed side to make it through. Ironically, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/senegal/hOIsJLJr/"]Senegal[/a] were the worst - the only side to go through to the knockouts with two defeats.[/p][p]They came against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] and Norway, though, and the French manager was wary of his opponents.[/p][p]Speaking to [i][b]Flashscore[/b][/i] and assorted media from around the world in his pre-match press conference, he said: "[b]We wanted to end first in the group, and that is what we did. I wish we had won more games, but we are not going to go back.[/b][/p][p][b]"What matters now is that we finished first in the group, so we can play in Seattle. We know we are playing the best third team; Senegal had a very tough group, and that is probably why they finished third.[/b][/p][p]"[b]It doesn’t matter; if you want to go far, you have to beat the good or excellent teams.[/b][/p][p][b]"Senegal are very fast, and very strong, we will have to be at our best to beat them."[/b][/p][image alt="Belgium's average positions against New Zealand" id="30200e3d-6947-481f-848d-370613becfc0" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform / Lee Smith / Reuters" guid="1d62057a-b136-4ce0-94f0-e70d13a3d4d3" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Since taking over in January 2025, Garcia's record as the Red Devils boss is surprisingly great. In 17 games, he has lost just once - the first one to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ukraine/j1JtDMwo/"]Ukraine[/a] - meaning he is on a 16-game unbeaten run with 10 wins to his name.[/p][p]Despite this, he has faced 'ugly' criticism during the tournament for playing some ponderous football that saw them draw to both [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/egypt/bejDn7NN/"]Egypt[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/iran/xrRx85iA/"]Iran[/a]. [/p][p]Now with a healthy squad, he is looking at all 26 to make a difference against Senegal.[/p][p]He added:[b] "I have lots of options, and I will use them. The XI who start will have to play well, and we have done well because of the group. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lukaku-romelu/dCkG0Iw0/"]Romelu[/a] came off the bench against Egypt and did well, the same against New Zealand. They are going to make the squad stronger.[/b][/p][p][b]"Yesterday showed us that to be favourites or not doesn’t matter. We need to be alert to win the game."[/b][/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/trossard-leandro/xUAbnjp2/"]Leandro Trossard[/a] is likely to start against the Lions of Terranga, and he has been efficient with the ball, creating the most chances during a World Cup group stage since [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pjanic-miralem/ObHi3HbL/"]Miralem Pjanic[/a] in 2014, and the most by a Belgian since Enzo Scifo in 1994.[/p][p]He will likely be feeding [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-ketelaere-charles/2eOa3r1T/"]Charles De Ketelaere[/a], who has been used as a makeshift striker with record scorer Romelu Lukaku still recovering from two injuries that had ruled him out since August. [/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atalanta/8C9JjMXu/"]Atalanta[/a] playmaker, also part of the press conference, explained he is enjoying his role and that Lukaku has been a good source of information.[/p][p][b]"Romelu gives me advice, for sure, and I think it was in Kazakhstan where I played up front for the first time, and he gave me advice; it’s all for the collective," [/b]he said.[/p][embed guid="14226831-57d1-461c-95e3-d1f901ac1911" url="https://x.com/BelRedDevils/status/2071846569251406303" social-type="twitter" /][p]The match on Wednesday sees a reunion of sorts for Garcia and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thiaw-pape/Mg1TugaL/"]Pape Thiaw[/a], the Senegal manager.[/p][p]They worked together at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/st-etienne/YL2QybFe/"]St Etienne[/a], with Garcia recommending Thiaw to the first-team coach before he would go on to play for the first team. He later moved to pastures anew.[/p][p]They meet again on the other side of the world as equals in Seattle, something Garcia is looking forward to.[/p][p]He added:[b] "I love Pape, but I hadn’t remembered that he started in St Etienne. He reminded me of that in December (at the World Cup draw).[/b][/p][p][b]"He built his career because he was an excellent player and a coach; he won AFCON with Senegal. He's a good man, a good person, but I'm going to defeat him, which is too bad for him... We have a bond, a lifelong bond."[/b][/p][p]Belgium have been training near Seattle Stadium since June 13th with their base at the Seattle Sounders complex. They have played just one game in the city, that draw against Egypt, a warm day, where Garcia memorably lost a fight with a sprinkler.[/p][image alt="Rudi Garcia speaks to his Belgian side in Seattle" id="2732bc76-857e-4280-b4ef-108d49d3695e" credit-line="Lee Smith / Reuters" guid="0f5bc6c9-2bba-4fad-999e-23bd8a847f5f" original-width="5824" original-height="3724" /][p]Temperatures are expected to be much lower for the round of 32 tie, with rain also in the air.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/belgium-GbB957na/senegal-hOIsJLJr/?mid=vPsIXWOb"][b]Follow the game with Flashscore.[/b][/a][/p][infobox id="79bb87c6-d26e-46c2-b1ec-7eec56479c0a" /]