Romelu Lukaku was full of praise for Chelsea teammate Jorginho when speaking about Belgium’s Euro 2020 quarter-final defeat to Italy.

It was an underwhelming campaign for so-called Belgium’s golden generation, given their third finish in the World Cup 2018.

Although to be fair, Roberto Martinez’s side also had to work around some injury problems, as Lukaku also pointed out in his recent interview with VTM Nieuws.

He highlighted how former Chelsea ace Eden Hazard was not fit, while Kevin De Bruyne also just had facial surgery after a collision with Antonio Rudiger in the Champions League final.

He added that several other Belgium players were not 100 percent physically.

“I see someone like Jorginho every day now,” he explained to VTM Nieuws (via Voetbal Nieuws) about Belgium’s defeat to Italy in the quarter-finals

“That guy is really good at football.

“I also played two years against Insigne, who plays at the top of his game. They were all top.

“Tactically, we were outclassed, but also football-wise. And that hurt.”

Reports have emerged in Spain about a meeting took place between Joan Laporta and Samuel Umtiti last summer .

It was at a time when the Frenchman’s future at Barcelona was up in the air and the club’s anger toward him was palpable.

The meeting, according to Mundo Deportivo and Diario AS, involved Laporta, Umtiti, Rafa Yuste and Mateu Alemany.

Laporta was tough and direct from the off, accusing Umtiti of picking up a large wage despite hardly featuring and not being valued by the coaching staff.

Umtiti hit back, blaming the club’s medical services for their shoddy work and claiming that he’d recovered from his injury problems by seeking treatment at his own expense.

Laporta then conceded ground and accepted Umtiti’s version of events, saying he understood that the club had failed to support him in his worst moments.

That’s when Umtiti broke down and began to cry as he reflected on his injury nightmare. The meeting ended with a hug and a promise to speak with Ronald Koeman about giving Umtiti another chance to earn minutes this term.

Juventus are mourning starlet Bryan Dodien after he died from cancer, two years after Paul Pogba praised his brave fight and Under-15s debut.

Bryan was diagnosed in 2015 aged 12, with Pogba sending supportive messages then and again when the midfielder returned to playing.

On Saturday, thought, it was announced the youth-team player has passed away.

Manchester United superstar Pogba dedicated a goal to Bryan after netting in a Turin derby for Juventus in 2015.

The French World Cup winner showed a shirt saying: “Bryan I am with you.”

The following year Pogba invited the youngster into the Juve dressing room as they celebrated clinching another Serie A title with a 5-0 defeat of Sampdoria.

The pair posed for photos, in which their bond and smiles now seem to say so much about life and appreciating what we have.

At that stage Bryan was in the middle of three years of treatment, and was given the all-clear just before Christmas 2018.

Juventus re-registered him a month later and Pogba congratulated his fellow midfield performer in 2019 on joining the the U-15s.

Pogba included the words: “So proud of you my friend. Merci for being an inspiration to me and so many others.”

The 28-year-old posted a very upbeat clip, recalling Bryan’s journey.

Pogba included the words: “So proud of you my friend. Merci for being an inspiration to me and so many others.”

Blues manager Thomas Tuchel has promoted youngster Xavier Mbuyamba into the Chelsea first-team, a year after he was signed by former Blues boss Frank Lampard.

The west London club have seen a number of promising youth stars move on in recent seasons, but Mbuyamba will no doubt be buoyed by the rise of Mason Mount into established first team regular, as well as the recent emergence of Trevor Chalobah.

Chelsea swooped to snap up the the teenager last summer after he was released from Barcelona.

Since then he has began to flourish in Chelsea’s academy after overcoming an initial problem with a knee injury.

According to the Mirror, the 6ft 5ins defender has been likened to fellow Dutchman Virgil van Dijk, and was even attracting attention from Liverpool not so long ago.

That was when Mbuyamba was just starting out as a professional, having made his debut aged just 16 for Dutch side MVV Maastricht.

In doing so, he became the club’s youngest ever player, and soon had some of Europe’s elite chasing his signature.

Bayern Munich and Real Madrid were also showing interest, as well as Liverpool, while Mbuyamba went on trial with Chelsea, only for him to eventually move to Barcelona.

However, things didn’t quite work out for him at the Nou Camp, with Lampard finally getting his man last year, having previously been hindered by the transfer ban imposed on Chelsea.

Now Lampard’s successor Tuchel is beginning to reap the benefits, as he promoted Mbuyamba earlier this week for his first training session alongside the senior players.

Mbuyamba, 19, was overjoyed, writing on Instagram : “A moment I’ve been working towards since joining this incredible club.

“Truly blessed to be training with the first team this week.

“Lots to learn, and my motivation is on another level right now!”