For the second international break in a row, Virgil van Dijk will not feature in the second fixture for the Netherlands having been wisely rested.
The Liverpool captain is an ever-present for club and country and thus, rest is not often on his schedule.
But Ronald Koeman confirmed on Monday morning that the centre-back will not be part of his side’s squad to face Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday evening.
The Netherlands manager said: “For both Frenkie [de Jong] and Virgil it is better for them to leave the training camp at this moment.
“That decision was taken on medical grounds, with of course the interest of the players coming first.”
Virgil van Dijk and Frenkie de Jong are not part of the squad for our final group stage game against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the #NationsLeague. ??
@RonaldKoeman: “For both Frenkie and Virgil it is better for them to leave the training camp at this moment. That decision was… pic.twitter.com/EPcqG31Aux— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) November 18, 2024
While Koeman did use the term “medical grounds,” there is currently no fear that Van Dijk picked up an injury in the win over Hungary, with this seen more as an opportunity to give him a rest.
Van Dijk played the full 90 minutes in the 4-0 win over Dominik Szoboszlai‘s side on Saturday, taking his tally for club and country this season to 1,699 minutes.
The 33-year-old missed the Netherlands’ game against Germany in the October break due to a one-game suspension after being shown a red card against Hungary.
With 11 games to come before the end of 2024 for Liverpool, it is a timely boost to have Van Dijk afforded extra rest and wrapped in cotton wool until the Reds meet Southampton on Sunday.
Mohamed Salah will also be fresh on Liverpool’s return having not joined Egypt during the break, while Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harvey Elliott are on the comeback trail.
Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo, meanwhile, will remain with the Netherlands for their game on Tuesday – which is a dead rubber as they secured their Nations League quarter-final spot over the weekend.
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