Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld withdraws from Belgium squad due to illness

Toby Alderweireld has withdrawn from the Belgium squad to face Portugal. The Tottenham Hotspur defender has been suffering from a stomach bug in recent days and will not recover in time to travel for the rearranged international friendly in Leiria on 29 March.

Former Southampton loanee Alderweireld, who moved to White Hart Lane from Atletico Madrid last summer, has established a reputation as arguably the Premier League's most in-form centre-back under Mauricio Pochettino this season. The 27-year-old has made 31 appearances in the top-flight to date, forming a strong partnership with Jan Vertonghen before his compatriot was ruled out with a knee ligament injury. His continued absence will be a concern ahead of title contenders Spurs' trip to Liverpool next weekend.

Alderweireld is the latest in a long line of absentees for Belgium. Already without the services of Vertonghen, Vincent Kompany, Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne, manager Marc Wilmots has also lost Liverpool duo Christian Benteke and Divock Origi due to knee and thigh injuries respectively. Atletico winger Yannick Ferreira Carrasco, meanwhile, has been ruled out with an ankle problem. Everton's Kevin Mirallas has been drafted into the squad as a replacement for Origi.

The Red Devils, currently ranked first in the world by Fifa, were originally supposed to host Portugal at the King Baudouin Stadium before the match was cancelled due to security fears in the aftermath of terrorist attacks in Brussels that killed at least 35 people at Zaventem airport and Maelbeek metro station. With no other friendlies scheduled for the current international break, the players were due to return to their clubs until the Royal Belgian Football Association (KBVB) accepted an offer from their Portuguese counterparts to stage the match at the Estadio Dr Magalhaes Pessoa.

Belgium cancelled training on the day of the attacks but have since held sessions behind closed doors and flew to Portugal on Sunday (27 March). They face further friendlies against Switzerland, Finland and Norway before beginning their Euro 2016 finals campaign against Group E rivals Italy in Lyon on 13 June.