Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez has warned his players not to underestimate Scotland ahead of their Euro 2020 meeting in Brussels.
The Scots lost 4-0 to Belgium in a friendly last September before being defeated by a Kazakhstan team swept aside by the Red Devils on Saturday.
Yet Martinez believes the Scots will improve under new manager Steve Clarke.
“It is not a team you can take lightly because they are potentially going to be very strong,” the Spaniard said.
“This Scotland team are going to get stronger and better, there a lot of talent, players that have had a very good season, (Ryan) Fraser at Bournemouth who ended just behind Eden Hazard in assists in the league.
“We know the threat that these players can give in the final third. Andrew Robertson has just won the Champions League, (John) McGinn has just been promoted to the Premier League, (Oliver) Burke, (James) Forrest has won the treble again this season, so you have a winning mentality.
“This a young, but very talented Scotland team, so we’re going to see a really good game.”
Belgium boast a 100% record after three matches in Group I and are in ominous form, having lost just one of their last 33 qualification matches.
Martinez, who has former Scotland international Shaun Maloney as part of his coaching staff, doesn’t expect his team to let up despite this being the final match of a long season.
“The standards that the players have in the national team, that doesn’t happen. Nobody takes for granted being in the team,” he said.
“We see Scotland as an essential game, it’s at home and we don’t play here again until October and that puts an extra focus on these three points.
“It is going to be a competitive game for the 90 minutes, I can guarantee you that.”
Martinez is looking forward to taking on new Scotland boss Clarke, who the former Wigan and Everton manager has locked horns with previously in England’s top flight.
“Steve Clarke is a gentleman of the game,” he added.
“He’s worked with a real mix of personalities and styles in the past. Now he has found his own method and has been very successful.
“I did suffer his coaching at West Brom, we drew my first home game as Everton manager and I’ve always been a big admirer in the way he affects the players to do what they have to do for the team.”
The former Motherwell midfielder met his Scottish wife Beth whilst playing at Fir Park from 2001 to 2002, but says it isn’t her that he will have to be wary of after the match, should Belgium win.
“We put a ban up at home so we aren’t speaking about football since the Kazakhstan game, but I hope that everyone is very upset when I get home,” Martinez said.
“She’s no problem, it’s more my father in law.”
Content provided by the BBC. Original piece can be found here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48587751
