Belgium, Serbia clash in Brussels

The Serbian national football squad will meet Belgium in a crucial 2008 European Championship qualifier in Brussels tonight. Serbia, who currently lie second in Group A with 14 points from seven matches, travel to Brussels hoping to build on their vital 2-0 away win in Finland in June, and close the gap on Poland, who top the group with 19 points. Belgium, Serbia clash in Brussels It is still uncertain what formation Serbia coach Javier Clemente will field tonight, in the absence of the injured Valencia striker, Nikola Zigic. He, it seems, will be replaced either by Hertha Berlin forward, Marko Pantelic or Milan Jovanovic of Standard Liege, who perhaps better than anyone knows what to expect this evening. "It will be harder than people think. They’re favourites in my opinion but we’re still going for all three points," he said. The Belgians, on the other hand, who lie fifth with only 7 points from as many matches, would appear to be in some disarray coming into this evening’s match. Rumours are rife of a rift in the camp between the team’s Flemish and French-speaking players. Indeed, certain commentators have suggested that Vincente Compagnie, a Walloon and one of the team’s stars, may be playing his last match for his country at the age of twenty-one, after breaking the story ten days ago to the media. He was unavailable for comment on the matter. Meanwhile, UEFA have threatened the Serbian FA with expulsion, should their be any incidents in tonight’s match. In response, Serbian journalists will be handing out leaflets calling for the fans to behave in a sporting way, and they will be joined by representatives of the FA in front of the south stand reserved for the visiting supporters. Around 400 Serbs are expected to make the journey to Brussels. The match kicks off at 20.45 CET. Bosko Jankovic (Beta, archive)

Belgium, Serbia clash in Brussels

It is still uncertain what formation Serbia coach Javier Clemente will field tonight, in the absence of the injured Valencia striker, Nikola Žigić.

He, it seems, will be replaced either by Hertha Berlin forward, Marko Pantelić or Milan Jovanović of Standard Liege, who perhaps better than anyone knows what to expect this evening.

"It will be harder than people think. They’re favourites in my opinion but we’re still going for all three points," he said.

The Belgians, on the other hand, who lie fifth with only 7 points from as many matches, would appear to be in some disarray coming into this evening’s match. Rumours are rife of a rift in the camp between the team’s Flemish and French-speaking players.

Indeed, certain commentators have suggested that Vincente Compagnie, a Walloon and one of the team’s stars, may be playing his last match for his country at the age of twenty-one, after breaking the story ten days ago to the media.

He was unavailable for comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, UEFA have threatened the Serbian FA with expulsion, should their be any incidents in tonight’s match.

In response, Serbian journalists will be handing out leaflets calling for the fans to behave in a sporting way, and they will be joined by representatives of the FA in front of the south stand reserved for the visiting supporters.

Around 400 Serbs are expected to make the journey to Brussels.

The match kicks off at 20.45 CET.