Mateo Kovacic, Nathan Ake and Virgil van Dijk all start tonight’s Nations League semi-final between the Netherlands and Croatia.
Ronald Koeman’s side will have home advantage in Rotterdam as they look to progress through to Sunday’s final to face either Spain or Italy.
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW NETHERLANDS VS CROATIA LIVE!
They will have to do without Memphis Depay though, with the forward unable to recover from a calf injury, while Matthijs de Ligt had to withdraw from the squad earlier this week after picking up a similar issue in training. Daley Blind has come into the squad to replace him.
There is not a debut for Newcastle’s Sven Botman as a result of De Ligt’s injury, with Ake partnering Van Dijk.
Jeremie Frimpong, linked with a move to Manchester United, has been left out of the senior squad and then turned down an Under-21s call-up ahead of this summer’s Euros, a decision that Koeman has criticised.
“I don’t think that’s okay,” the Dutch boss said. “The Dutch juniors are playing a European Championship. If a player thinks he’s gone beyond that level, I think they’re making the wrong decision.”
For Croatia, Josko Gvardiol has been ruled out of upcoming games with a groin injury, meaning Josip Sutalo starts at the back.
Marko Livaja has pulled out of the squad after confronting a group of supporters during an open training session, with the forward believing his presence would have been a distraction had he not made the that decision.
“I am extremely sorry that this happened and that the unacceptable behaviour of a few individuals has resulted in us losing an important player for this competition,” Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic said.
“I understand Marko and the gravity of the situation he found himself in, and I respect his decision to not participate in the Nations League finals after everything that has been written and experienced.”
Netherlands XI: Bijlow; Geertruida, Van Dijk, Ake, Dumfries; De Jong, Wieffer, Koopmeiners; Simons, Gakpo, Malen.
Subs: Flekken, Noppert, Bergwijn, Blind, Botman, Lang, Malacia, De Roon, Timber, Weerman, Weghorst, Wijnaldum.
Croatia XI: Livakovic; Juranovic, Sutalo, Vida, Perisic; Brozovic, Modric, Kovacic; Pasalic, Kramaric, Ivanusec.
Subs: Labrovic, Ivusic, Stanisic, Barisic, Erlic, Majer, Vlasic, Petkovic, Musa, Sosa, Beljo.
