HOLLAND make their final preparations for Euro 2020 this evening with a friendly clash against Georgia.
The Netherland’s failed to qualify for the World Cup four years ago so will be back aiming to leave a mark on this one.
- Start time: 7pm GMT
- TV/Live stream: Sky Sports Premier League
- Holland XI: Stekelenburg, Dumfries, Timber, De Vrij, Daley Blind, Wijndal, De Roon, Wijnaldum, De Jong, Weghorst, Depay
- Georgia XI: Loria, Kakabadze, Dvali, Kashia, Giorbelidze, Gvilla, Khocholava, Lobzhanidze, Kiteishvili, Aburjania, Zivzivadze
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NETHERLANDS 0-0 GEORGIA
5 Georgia started strong but the Netherlands are now dominating possession and tempo.
Lots of work going on in midfield with De Jong and Wijnaldum.
However, the attack often has to push back and cover their midfielders
NETHERLANDS 0-0 GEORGIA
2 CHANCE!
Georgia start strong in Holland as they take the game to the Dutch!
Lobzhanidze gets the ball down the right flank and finds himself in front of Stekelenburg but his flick has no effect and so the experienced keeper picks it up with ease
NETHERLANDS 0-0 GEORGIA
2 Another quick reminder:
Georgia manager Willy Sagnol appears to have opted for a 3-4-3 formation with nine changes to the team that beat Romania.
Giorgi Loria starts in goal and replaces Lazare Kupatadze, while Davit Khocholava, captain Guram Kashia, who comes on for the suspended Saba Kvirkvelia, and Lasha Dvali, who replaces Georges Mikautadze, link up in defence.
Otar Kakabadze, who takes Grigol Chabradze’s place, covers the right flank with Guram Giorbelidze, on for Irakli Azarovi, on the other side.
Giorgi Aburjania and Valeriane Gvilia, who takes Levan Shengelia’s place, team up in midfield.
Saba Lobzhanidze, on for Tornike Okriashvili, Otar Kiteishvili, who replaces Zurab Davitashvili, and Budu Zivzivadze, who takes Nika Kvekveskiri’s place, lead the attack
NETHERLANDS 0-0 GEORGIA
1 Just a quick reminder:
Netherlands manager Frank de Boer has opted for a 5-3-2 formation made only two changes to the team that drew with Scotland on Wednesday.
Maarten Stekelenburg replaces Tim Krul in goal whereas Denzel Dumfries starts at right-back with Owen Wijndal on the other side, while Jurrien Timber, Stefan de Vrij and Daley Blind, who comes on for the injured Matthijs de Ligt, link up at centre-back.
Georginio Wijnaldum, Marten de Roon and Frenkie de Jong team up in midfield.
Wout Weghorst and Memphis Depay lead the attack
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
AND OFF WE GO IN TWENTE!!!!!
HERE COME THE TEAMS!!!
The Grolsch Veste Stadium is set to host the international friendly match between the Netherlands and Georgia.
The Oranje are being led out by captain Georginio Wijnaldum whereas Guram Kashia dons his nation’s armband.
Some Dutch fans have been allowed to watch the game from the stands, according to COVID-19 rules in Holland.
Not long to go now…
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Liverpool star Georginio Wijnaldum will be wearing the captain’s armband today against Georgia.
Some breaking news suggested that Wijnaldum has rejected a move to Barcelona and will join Paris Saint-Germain instead.
That is according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who claims that the midfielder will sign a three-year contract after Euro 2020 and will make more than double compared to what Barca offered.
Romano posted: “Georginio Wijnaldum has decided to join Paris Saint-Germain.
“Barcelona have NO intention to raise their bid after they agreement ready by 2 weeks and medicals planned.
“Gini is now set to accept PSG proposal until 2024 with salary more than doubled [compared to Barça bid]”
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Georgia have been experiencing quite a new lease of life under new manager Willy Sagnol.
Sagnol took over in March and helped his side put together an impressive performance against Sweden and Spain in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
The former right-back then picked up a 1-1 draw with Greece and beat Romania 2-1 in a friendly match.
The Frenchman has plenty of experience at the top level as he spent nine years at Bayern Munich where he amassed a total of 277 appearances across all competitions
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Juventus star Matthijs de Ligt handed the Netherlands quite a shock as he hobbled off their most recent training session due to a groin injury.
Thus, De Ligt won’t play any part in today’s friendly against Georgia and further tests are expected to take place ahead of Euro 2020.
There are, however, concerns among the Holland camp about the star centre-back’s fitness ahead of the summer’s European championships.
The Oranje are already going to be without their best defender Virgil van Dijk, who confirmed he will miss the tournament due to anterior cruciate knee ligaments
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VAN DIJK SITUATION
Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk has confirmed that he will not be taking part in the summer’s delayed Euro 2020 competition.
Van Dijk has been sidelined with an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury since last October when the Reds faced Everton in the Merseyside derby.
Netherlands manager Frank de Boer was hoping to have the star centre-back available for the summer’s tournament but the 29-year-old ruled himself out.
Van Dijk said: “I have come to a decision that I had to make, would I be involved in the Euros, yes or no?
“With everything that is going on, I feel physically it is the right decision that I’ve decided not to go to the Euros and to go into my last phase of rehab during the off-season”
GETTY IMAGES GEORGIA STATS
Georgia failed to make it to the summer’s delayed Euro 2020 competition after suffering a 1-0 loss to North Macedonia in their play-off final last November.
Willy Sagnol’s men didn’t manage to impress in the Nations League as they finished third in their League C group under Armenia and North Macedonia with only one win and one loss in six matches.
Georgia, though, appear to be heading towards the right direction after some strong showings against Sweden and Spain in their 2022 World Cup qualifiers, even though they lost both times, as well as their 1-1 draw against Greece.
However, they have only won one of their last six matches, against Romania, and lost three across all competitions
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The Netherlands made it through to Euro 2020’s group stages after finishing second in Group C behind Germany with six wins and only one loss in eight matches.
Holland also stood their ground in the Nations League as they remained in the top flight by finishing second in Group 1 behind Italy thanks to three wins and one loss in six matches.
The Oranje have won four of their last six matches across all competitions and only lost once to Turkey away in a recent 2022 World Cup qualifier.
Netherlands scored a staggering 18 goals along the way but conceded a concerning tally of eight
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The two sides are set to face off for the very first time across all competitions.
This is an important friendly match that will help Netherlands manager Frank de Boer figure out what needs to be fixed before Euro 2020.
Georgia and their new manager Willy Sagnol would love to offer Holland a late shock on their Euro dress rehearsal.
But what’s important for the Oranje is to figure out the solution to all of their weaknesses as they haven’t made it to the European championship’s knockout stages since 2008
GETTY IMAGES GEORGIA BENCH
16 Kvekveskiri, 20 Jighauri, 18 Davitashvili, 13 Chabradze, 10 Okriashvili, 19 Beridze, 21 Azarovi, 14 Kukhianidze, 12 Mamardashvili, 6 Daushvili, 17 Kupatadze, 22 Mikautadze
NETHERLANDS BENCH
2 Veltman, 4 Ake, 7 Berghuis, 9 L. De Jong, 11 Promes, 12 Van Aanholt, 13 Krul, 14 Klaassen, 16 Gravenberch, 18 Malen, 23 Bizot, 24 Koopmeiners
GEORGIA FORMATION
Georgia manager Willy Sagnol appears to have opted for a 3-4-3 formation with nine changes to the team that beat Romania.
Giorgi Loria starts in goal and replaces Lazare Kupatadze, while Davit Khocholava, captain Guram Kashia, who comes on for the suspended Saba Kvirkvelia, and Lasha Dvali, who replaces Georges Mikautadze, link up in defence.
Otar Kakabadze, who takes Grigol Chabradze’s place, covers the right flank with Guram Giorbelidze, on for Irakli Azarovi, on the other side.
Giorgi Aburjania and Valeriane Gvilia, who takes Levan Shengelia’s place, team up in midfield.
Saba Lobzhanidze, on for Tornike Okriashvili, Otar Kiteishvili, who replaces Zurab Davitashvili, and Budu Zivzivadze, who takes Nika Kvekveskiri’s place, lead the attack
HAVE YOUR SAY
GEORGIA XI
1 Loria; 3 Khocholava, 4 Kashia, 23 Dvali; 2 Kakabadze, 15 Aburjania, 7 Gvilia, 5 Giorbelidze; 11 Lobzhanidze, 9 Kiteishvili, 8 Zivzivadze
NETHERLANDS FORMATION
Netherlands manager Frank de Boer has opted for a 5-3-2 formation made only two changes to the team that drew with Scotland on Wednesday.
Maarten Stekelenburg replaces Tim Krul in goal whereas Denzel Dumfries starts at right-back with Owen Wijndal on the other side, while Jurrien Timber, Stefan de Vrij and Daley Blind, who comes on for the injured Matthijs de Ligt, link up at centre-back.
Georginio Wijnaldum, Marten de Roon and Frenkie de Jong team up in midfield.
Wout Weghorst and Memphis Depay lead the attack
NETHERLANDS XI
1 Stekelenburg; 22 Dumfries, 25 Timber, 6 De Vrij, 17 Blind, 5 Wijndal; 15 De Roon, 8 Wijnaldum, 21 De Jong; 19 Weghorst, 10 Memphis
THE TEAM SHEETS ARE IN!!!
GOOD AFTERNOON FROM TWENTE
Welcome to our live coverage of the international friendly match between the Netherlands and Georgia at the De Grolsch Veste Stadium ahead of the summer’s delayed Euro 2020 competition.
Holland are set for their last warm-up game ahead of the European championships where they are set to take on Austria, North Macedonia and Ukraine in the group stage.
Oranje manager Frank de Boer will be without star defender Matthijs de Ligt, who suffered a groin injury during training and is set for further tests to determine his fitness ahead of the Euros.
Other than that, De Boer has a squad at full strength but is expected to make a number of changes to the line-up he fielded on Wednesday’s 2-2 draw against Scotland at the Algarve.
Lyon star Memphis Depay scored twice for the Netherlands but is expected to be rested tonight, whereas Manchester United ace Donny van de Beek should start in midfield.
Ryan Gravenberch, Patrick van Aanholt, Quincy Promes and Joel Veltman could all join Van de Beek in the starting line-up and the same goes for Barcelona ace Frenkie de Jong.
Georgia manager Willy Sagnol, on the other hand, will be without Lokomotiv Moscow player Saba Kverkvelia as he will serve a suspension following his red card on Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Romania.
Sagnol is also expected to make some changes by starting the likes of Saba Lobzhanidze, Guram Kashia and Budu Zivzivadze
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
