Valentijn Driessen discusses the Dutch team at the KNVB Campus
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Valentijn Driessen was at the Dutch team's training session at the KNVB Campus, where he discussed the team's status and the latest developments following a press conference.
Discussion of the Dutch team in the Nations League
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In the football podcast Kick-off, Valentijn Driessen, Mike Verweij, Pim Sedee and Hein Keijser discussed the Dutch national team’s performances in the Nations League. The team was reported to be top of its group but had not yet convinced under Xavi. The discussion included the fragile defence, Virgil van Dijk’s position, whether the coach should make difficult choices, and the balance between tactical instruction and spontaneity. An unnamed player was also described as the standout surprise of the current squad. The podcast also addressed the busy fixture schedule, injuries, the prospects of the Dutch under-21 team and the return of the Eredivisie. Driessen opposed Jürgen Klopp’s reported use of the Nations League as a stage for experimentation, arguing that the competition was not intended for that purpose.
Netherlands beat Serbia in Nations League match
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The Netherlands beat Serbia 2-1 in Eindhoven in the Nations League, ending Xavi Hernández’s first international window as national coach unbeaten. Joshua Zirkzee scored the winning goal after coming on as a substitute. The result was the Netherlands’ second win over Serbia in a week and leaves the team on eight points from four matches; Germany and Greece drew 0-0 in the other match. Captain Virgil van Dijk played his 100th international, becoming the 11th Dutch player to reach that mark, and was honoured after the match. Denzel Dumfries made his 80th appearance. Teun Koopmeiners started alongside Van Dijk in central defence, while goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made several saves, according to a single report. Xavi said the team had struggled to impose its possession-based approach but had shown a desire to win.