Kevin De Bruyne says he is ‘bored’ of playing against Wales

Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne has said that he is “bored” of playing against Wales, as he prepares for the ninth meeting between the two sides in a decade.

Despite being one of the world’s top teams, Belgium have long been frustrated in their games against Wales, with four draws, two wins and two losses, including the 2016 Euros quarter finals.

The teams have met regularly in FIFA World Cup and Euro qualifiers as well as in the UEFA Nations League.

“I think half of my international career has been against Wales,” Kevin De Bruyne told the Telegraph newspaper.

“I don’t know why. It is a little bit boring. I think it is 12 times I have played them, it is always the same teams.”

Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne has won 91 caps for Belgium, scoring 24 goals in the process, including against Wales in March of last year.

But the midfielder said that he didn’t think there was much worth in playing Wales in terms of preparing for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.

“I don’t think it makes that much of a difference any more,” he said. “We have been playing with the same team for years and years. We just try to finish the two games as best as possible and get ready for the World Cup.”

‘Bigger picture’

Wales meanwhile face a tough battle to avoid relegation from the top tier of the Nations League.

Late goals conceded against Poland and the Netherlands, twice, in June have left them with only one point from four games.

But even if they lose to Belgium, whom they drew 1-1 with in Cardiff three months ago, beating Poland on Sunday could be enough to secure their top-flight survival.

For that to happen, however, Poland would have to lose at home to the Dutch on Thursday.

Wales manager Robert Page said: “It (relegation) won’t be a disaster, we’d pick ourselves up.

“We always look back to the first couple of games. There’s points we could have picked up there, I firmly believe that.

“But the bigger picture is, because of that, we’ve then had to change our narrative a little bit.

“We’ve given these young lads experience and playing in games against top teams and using that as a benefit.

“We’ve given ourselves a fighting chance to stay in the division, and our full focus is on that.”