Praet Targeting Maiden Belgium Start
- Dennis Praet says he hopes to make his first start for Belgium against San Marino on Thursday night
- The Leicester City No.26 has made four substitute appearances for Belgium
- Praet discussed his first few months in Leicester, and what it’s like to play alongside Youri Tielemans for both club and country
The Red Devils entertain San Marino at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels as they look to maintain their perfect start to UEFA 2020 European Championship qualifying.
Praet, who has made five Premier League appearances for the Foxes this term, has represented Belgium on four occasions, all from the bench.
“I hope that I can start at the game against San Marino,” Praet told the Belgium media. "It would be the first time for me.
“A few years ago, I would have been happy to be in the selection. Nowadays, I want more than that.”
When asked about the differences between Serie A and the Premier League, Praet underlined the tempo of England’s top flight.
“The difference between playing in the Serie A and playing in the Premier League is rather huge,” he continued. “There is a lot more intensity in England.
“In Italy the focus is mainly on the tactical aspect. That helped me to improve as a player. The training sessions are longer in Italy, but not so intense.”
Praet went on to explain the challenge in adapting to a shift in stratagem when playing at City under Brendan Rodgers and for the national team under Roberto Martínez.
He added: “In Leicester, I play in a 4-3-3 with [Wilfred] Ndidi in the no.6 position and Youri [Tielemans] and me in the no.8. That is different than the 3-4-3 of Martinez in the Belgian team.
“Everything is very positive in Leicester. I have played the last three games and it is nice that I can play with Youri in midfield. I have found my place in Leicester and I want to become a key player there.”
You can read about all of the Club’s international stars on LCFC.com in the coming days.