Frenkie de Jong will miss the Netherlands’ UEFA Nations League group final against Germany on Monday at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, with a kickoff time set for 20:45 CET, LAOLA1 reported.
As a precautionary measure, officials decided that the player would not travel to Germany because the fixture arrives too soon for his recovery, Sport Bild reported.
Back Trouble Forces Early Departure
De Jong featured in the starting lineup and captained Oranje during their 7:0 victory over Greece on Friday in Amsterdam, as detailed by SPORT1. However, head coach Xavi substituted him at halftime with Teun Koopmeiners when the team already held a 5:0 lead, according to accounts from fussballdaten.de.
“Er hatte Rückenprobleme. Schon vor dem Spiel hatte er Beschwerden. Er sagte mir, dass er nicht weiterspielen könne,” Xavi explained after the match, as reported by fussballdaten.de.
Following further evaluation of the mild discomfort, the association opted to send the Barcelona midfielder back to Spain ahead of schedule, LAOLA1 reported. The move ensures he remains available for club commitments under Hansi Flick, as the association confirmed his symptoms are minor.
Netherlands Can Clinch Group with Draw
The Netherlands enters the fixture atop Group A2 with 11 points following their commanding win against Greece, holding a three-point advantage over both Germany and Greece, which each sit on eight points, according to SPORT1.
A single draw against Germany’s squad under manager Jürgen Klopp will secure the group crown and a direct berth in the quarterfinals for Xavi’s team. The team of Bundestrainer Jürgen Klopp can continue to belong to the two worst group thirds that must fight for their league membership in the play-offs, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
De Jong Returns After Injury
De Jong’s absence adds to a growing injury list for the Dutch side, who are currently missing Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, and Brian Brobbey, Sport Bild reported. The midfielder had recently returned to international duty following knee trouble that sidelined him during the previous international window and kept him out for Barcelona until October’s Clásico, LAOLA1 noted.
Against Greece, de Jong had operated effectively alongside Joey Veerman in a tactical setup praised by De Telegraaf as a brilliant tactical maneuver by Xavi, according to SPORT1. With the captaincy having fallen to de Jong in the absence of the injured van Dijk, the coaching staff must now adjust their central midfield partnership for the decisive test in Berlin, SPORT1 reported.
“Es wird im Allgemeinen schwer, dieses Niveau zu halten, und ganz besonders gegen Deutschland,” Xavi stated regarding the upcoming challenge, according to Sport Bild.
Earlier coverage: Frenkie de Jong to Miss Netherlands Match Against Germany Due to Back Discomfort
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