Dutch national team faces Serbia in historic stadium

The Dutch national team is set to play its second match in the Nations League on Sunday, this time against Serbia. Head coach Xavi Hernández has highlighted the motivation and history surrounding this international match, particularly as it takes place at the Rajko Mitic Stadium. This stadium is historic due to the most famous penalty ever, scored by Antonín Panenka fifty years ago.

Douwe van Dijk, captain of the Oranje, stated that the team wants to build on their previous result, a 1-1 draw against Germany. However, he emphasized that there is room for improvement, especially in the team's playing style. Van Dijk described the performance in the last match as a 'poor game,' despite the outcome achieved.

Ahead of the match, Xavi has left Xavi Frimpong, the right-back from Liverpool, out of the squad. This means that the player will not take to the field, a decision that was published on the UEFA list. Additionally, Cody Gakpo was injured within the first fifteen minutes of the match, which is another setback for the team.

At the same time, Xavi has expressed his confidence in Joey Veerman and Mexx Meerdink, both of whom have been given starting positions. Veerman was specifically mentioned as someone from whom a lot is expected in this match. He is one of the newcomers to the starting lineup compared to the previous game against Germany.

Furthermore, the Dutch national team is looking for ways to revive the tradition of the Panenka penalty. During a press conference, Xavi stated that he would welcome players daring to experiment, but the emphasis is, of course, on successfully converting opportunities.

Finally, after the match, the progress of the players and the overall performance of the team will be evaluated, especially following Gakpo's injury. The Dutch national team hopes for a positive result, with a focus on both technical skills and team dynamics.