The Dutch have had to rethink their squad plans ahead of their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Five Netherlands players have gone home sick after being struck by a virus.
Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo, Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt, Newcastle center-back Sven Botman, PSV midfielder Joey Vermeen, and Anderlecht goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen are the players in question.
The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) has confirmed the five footballers left the national team camp on Thursday morning upon falling ill.
The news is a huge setback set for Ronald Koeman ahead of his second debut as the Netherlands manager.
The 60-year-old has called in Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, Inter Milan center-back Stefan de Vrij, and Vitesse goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen for cover.
The Netherlands will begin their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign on Friday. They will visit World Cup finalists France in Paris in Group B. Gibraltar then swing over to Rotterdam this Monday for the second game.
π¨ π π’π―π π©π₯ππ²ππ«π¬ π₯πππ―π ππ«ππ’π§π’π§π πππ¦π©.
π Sven Botman, Cody Gakpo, Matthijs de Ligt, Joey Veerman & Bart Verbruggen left our training camp this morning. They are suffering from a virus infection. Get well soon, boys. π§‘
βΉοΈ https://t.co/rl3bdGKlWT pic.twitter.com/gOTOFCQj8U
— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) March 23, 2023
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