On July 3rd, the Netherlands will face Romania in the round of 16 of the European Championship, vying for a spot in the quarter-finals. Ahead of the match, Dutch manager Ronald Koeman addressed the press.
On the Netherlands’ 1988 European Championship triumph
Koeman: If we had the luck we had in 1988, we would win tomorrow’s game.
On the previous match against Austria
Koeman: We were a bit disappointed, especially in the first half. We weren’t aggressive enough. So, we focused on that in training and we’ve improved. The next step is to show it in the game.
On the Dutch national team
Koeman: The Netherlands is a proud nation, we like to win and play beautiful football. We know that things don’t always go our way. But we will analyse Romania very seriously. We know what to expect from them and we need to improve from our last game. That’s what we want to do.
On Xavi Simons
Koeman: He’s a very talented player, good players can play anywhere. He’s shown that in the Netherlands and at RB Leipzig.
On the game plan
Koeman: By pressing high and denying space, your team becomes more stable. That’s what we’re focusing on. Against Austria, we were very messy, that gave them confidence and took ours away.
On Romania
Koeman: I think they’ll be very aggressive. Romania are strong defensively and a threat on corners and free kicks.
On Daley Blind
Koeman: We will make adjustments, of course, mainly because there are many absences in midfield. Our midfield is inconsistent right now. Is Blind an option? For me, Blind can play in several positions.
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