MADRID, 20 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
FC Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong will not participate in the Netherlands’ first two qualifying matches for Euro 2024 due to “trouble in the upper part of the leg” after starting this Sunday’s Clásico, according to a statement from the Royal Netherlands Football Federation (KNVB) issued this Monday.
The 25-year-old midfielder played all 90 minutes in Barça’s 2-1 victory over Real Madrid at the Camp Nou, to increase their lead to 12 points and close the league title. But his ownership and effort in Xavi Hernández’s team would have caused him “discomfort in the upper part of his leg” that will prevent him from being part of the Dutch team’s squad.
The coach of the ‘Oranje’, Ronald Koeman, will not be able to count on the midfielder to visit the French team and receive Gibraltar, on March 24 and 27, respectively. Both duels correspond to the qualifying phase for the 2024 Euro Cup, which will be held in Germany.
Ajax striker Steven Bergwijn has also left the Dutch camp with a knee injury. Thus, PSV midfielder Joey Veerman and Borussia Dortmund attacker Donyell Malen have replaced the two players.