UEFA Nations League

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Nations League | Semi-Finals

Jun 14, 2023 at 7.45pm UK

Stadion Feijenoord

Netherlands

2 - 4

Croatia

Malen (34'), Lang (90+6')
de Jong (38'), Koopmeiners (93'), Malacia (116')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Kramaric (55' pen.), Pasalic (72'), Petkovic (98'), Modric (116' pen.)
Kovacic (17'), Pasalic (24'), Brozovic (63'), Livakovic (90+1')

How the Netherlands could line up against Croatia

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 4d

Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how the Netherlands could line up for Wednesday's UEFA Nations League semi-final with Croatia.

Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman has lost key attacker Memphis Depay to injury ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Nations League semi-final with Croatia at De Kuip.

The Atletico Madrid man has been struggling with a calf issue since the end of April but was called up to the squad in the hope that he would prove his fitness in time for June's fixtures.

However, Depay has failed to make a full recovery and will miss Wednesday's game and any potential final or third-place playoff, where either Spain or Italy will do battle with Koeman's charges.

Despite Depay's absence, Koeman can still pick between Cody Gakpo, Donyell Malen and Wout Weghorst to spearhead the charge, and the former could get the nod from the first whistle.

Steven Bergwijn and Xavi Simons should support the Liverpool man in that case, while Georginio Wijnaldum should be deployed the furthest forward of Oranje's midfield trio.

Frenkie de Jong and Marten de Roon ought to link up with Wijnaldum in the engine room, which will not feature Ryan Gravenberch or Steven Berghuis, but Sven Botman and Virgil van Dijk will likely pair up at the back with Matthijs de Ligt absent.

Nathan Ake and Denzel Dumfries will need once-overs after the Champions League final, but there is currently nothing to suggest that the pair will not be available, while Feyenoord's Justin Bijlow ought to get the nod as the last line of defence.

Netherlands possible starting lineup: Bijlow; Dumfries, Van Dijk, Botman, Ake; De Roon, De Jong, Wijnaldum; Bergwijn, Gakpo, Simons

> Click here to see how Croatia could line up for this semi-final