Playing fields of England add some spice to rivalry

MOSCOW: Familiarity from facing each other regularly in England’s Premier League will add to the flavour of the World Cup semi-final between Belgium and France, Belgian midfielder Nacer Chadli said.

The 28-year-old from relegated West Bromwich Albion is one of 11 players in the Belgian squad members based at English clubs, to add to five in the French line-up.

“We know all these players so well. We know them at a tactical level, we know what they are capable of doing and we know their individual qualities. I think it’s an advantage for our planning,” Chadli told a news conference after Belgium’s training session on the outskirts of Moscow.

Today’s semi-final in St Petersburg sees teammates from English champions Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham go head to head as well as rivalries between club colleagues from Barcelona, Paris St Germain and Monaco.

Among the appetising match-ups, Chelsea have Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and captain Eden Hazard up against N’Golo Kante and Olivier Giroud, who are certain to start for France. Paul Pogba faces Manchester United club mates Marouane Fellaini and Romelu Lukaku.

Chadli is the only player from West Brom involved today after a season in which they were relegated but he hardly played because of recurring thigh injuries.

“I was in a negative spiral all season at West Brom,” he said. “I was injured several times and that was not easy.

“For me just to get selected for the 23 to come to Russia was a victory. And then to be able to play, even nicer, not to speak of helping to score a match winner. That was tremendous.”