Eredivisie
Koeman sticks with core XI, drops Van de Ven for Tunisia
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman has left Micky van de Ven out of the starting XI for Thursday’s tournament match against Tunisia, opting for Nathan Aké in his place, while retaining the rest of the lineup that secured a 5‑1 victory over Sweden three days earlier.
Youri Mulder told that Koeman made the right decision by avoiding excessive changes in the base eleven. "It is good that you do not change too much. You also have to grow in a tournament," the former international added.
Rafael van der Vaart, also present in the broadcast, criticised the length of Van de Ven’s absence, saying, "Van de Ven plays now eight days or so. That is quite a long time." He noted that the left‑footed player will start the Tunisia game from the bench, being on the edge for the next round.
Pierre van Hooijdonk argued that Van de Ven will return to the pitch later in the tournament. "He didn’t play his best matches (against Japan and Sweden, red). But I think he is a fixed value under this national coach," he said.
The Dutch side will therefore rely on the same core that delivered the recent 5‑1 win, hoping the continuity will translate into another strong performance against Tunisia.