Mark van Bommel confirms Belgium will play with a classic Dutch 4-3-3 in the Nations League against Italy, is unsure of Roberto Mancini’s approach, and leaves the door open for a future Milan return.

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Friday at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).

The Nations League Group A is completed by France and Vincenzo Montella’s Turkiye.

It is going to be the debut on the Belgium bench for Van Bommel, who as a Dutchman taking over the Red Devils is already going to be eyed with some suspicion.

He still understands Italian thanks to his spell with Milan, and it was at the Stadio Olimpico that his side won the Scudetto in 2011.

“My brain is a mess with all these languages,” he told Sky Sport Italia in an interview that varied from Italian to English to occasional Spanish.

“I had a really nice time at Milan, we played with a fantastic squad, it’s true that I only played once at the Stadio Olimpico and it was to win the Scudetto with Milan. Now I am back and hope to get a good result tomorrow.

“I sent some messages to some of the players I was with, and some fighting was going on…”