Netherlands vs France – European Championship 2024 Qualifying Match

Posted on October 10, 2023 by SoccerPunter

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman is optimistic about his team’s chances against France in the upcoming European Championship qualifier, despite a string of injuries plaguing his squad.

Koeman expressed his confidence during a press conference on Monday, acknowledging the unpredictability of football outcomes. He emphasized the Netherlands’ intention to devise a strategic plan that would make it challenging for France and yield a positive result.

While acknowledging that his team may not be the strongest due to injuries, Koeman emphasized that football often produces surprising results. He cited examples of unexpected outcomes in matches and results that defy expectations.

The Dutch team had suffered significant losses, including key players like Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt, Cody Gakpo, and Memphis Depay, even before announcing their squad. Additionally, injuries forced goalkeeper Mark Flekken, Steven Berghuis, and Teun Koopmeiners to withdraw.

Koeman attributed these injuries to a packed calendar, noting that while some were genuine football injuries, many were muscle-related. He pointed out that France had also experienced three last-minute dropouts, further highlighting the challenges of the congested schedule.

Expressing his frustration, Koeman revealed that he had raised concerns about the calendar with UEFA every year, but the situation seemed to be worsening. He cited the upcoming 2030 World Cup, which would feature matches in three continents (South America, Africa, and Europe), as an example of the calendar’s increasing complexity.

In light of Mark Flekken’s withdrawal, Koeman expressed faith in Bart Verbruggen from Brighton & Hove Albion as a promising goalkeeper for the future. He lightheartedly commented on a recent mistake Verbruggen made against Liverpool and indicated that they had already discussed it.

France currently leads Group B with a perfect record in five matches, while the Netherlands and Greece are tied for second place with nine points (from four games) each.

Meanwhile, the French national team, under the leadership of manager Didier Deschamps, has called up Chelsea duo Malo Gusto and Axel Disasi as injury replacements ahead of their crucial match against the Netherlands in the European Championship qualifiers.

The two new additions replace defenders Jules Koundé and Dayot Upamecano, both of whom sustained injuries. Koundé injured his left knee while playing for Barcelona against Granada in LaLiga, while Upamecano suffered a left hamstring injury while playing for Bayern Munich.

These injuries followed the withdrawal of Arsenal defender William Saliba from the squad, who was replaced by Jean-Clair Todibo on Sunday.

France’s position at the top of Group B means that they can secure qualification for the European Championship hosted by Germany next year by defeating the Netherlands. A draw combined with a Greece loss against Ireland would also guarantee their qualification.

Check Netherlands vs France H2H stats for your soccer analysis.