- Title: Dutch injury concerns ahead of Belarus qualifier
- Date: 6th October 2016
- Summary: KATWIJK, NETHERLANDS (OCTOBER 6, 2016) (REUTERS) DEFENDER JETRO WILLEMS (LEFT) AND MIDFIELDER WESLEY SNEIJDER, WHO IS HOPING TO BE FIT TO PLAY AFTER INJURY GOALKEEPER JASPER CILLESSEN PUTTING ON HIS GLOVES DUTCH TEAM EXERCISING DALEY BLIND AND SNEIJDER EXCERCISING SNEIJDER WITH THE BALL HEAD COACH DANNY BLIND, FATHER OF DALEY, WITH OTHER COACHES TEAM ON THE PITCH DANNY BLIND ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERAMAN (SOUNDBITE)(Dutch) NETHERLANDS HEAD COACH DANNY BLIND SAYING OF INJURED WINGER ARJEN ROBBEN: "I spoke with Arjen in the morning and also yesterday and he is not coming, because he is not fit. That's a short, but clear message" NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE)(Dutch) BLIND SAYING: "He was lightly injured again last week during the match and it is still a nuisance for him, as he injured his ribs, but also an abdominal muscle, which sits in between" JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE)(Dutch) BLIND SAYING: "We played badly in Sweden, so there is more pressure for us to have to win this match, that is clear. It's a match on home turf, it is against a country which has qualified less often than we have, nevertheless it is a difficult opponent. But yeah, we will have to win and I am convinced we will" BLIND LEAVING
- Embargoed: 21st October 2016 14:12
- Keywords: Soccer world qualifier Netherlands Belarus
- Location: KATWIJK, NETHERLANDS
- City: KATWIJK, NETHERLANDS
- Country: Netherlands
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00152VB0VZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Netherlands face Belarus at home in a world cup qualifier on Wednesday (October 7) and will be without injured veteran winger Arjen Robben.
There was better news regarding Wesley Sneijder, though, with the Galatasaray midfielder confident he will be ready despite a thigh issue.
Netherlands Head Coach Danny Blind's lack of attacking options were all too apparent when he called up Manchester United's Memphis Depay and PSV midfielder Siem de Jong, even though both have barely played for their clubs this season.
The pair were drafted in for the Group A games against Belarus and France - next Monday (October 10) - after forwards Steven Berghuis and Luuk de Jong dropped out through injury.
Blind confirmed at a news conference on Thursday that Robben would not play.
"I spoke with Arjen in the morning and also yesterday and he is not coming, because he is not fit. That's a short, but clear message," said the head coach.
"He was lightly injured again last week during the match and it is still a nuisance for him, as he injured his ribs, but also an abdominal muscle, which sits in between," said Blind.
Netherlands opened their Group A qualifying campaign with a 1-1 draw away to Sweden.
"We played badly in Sweden, so there is more pressure for us to have to win this match, that is clear. It's a match on home turf, it is against a country which has qualified less often than we have, nevertheless it is a difficult opponent. But yeah, we will have to win and I am convinced we will," said Blind.
Bulgaria top Group A with three points after beating Luxembourg; Netherlands and Sweden are joint second. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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