Xavi Hernández laments Netherlands injury run before Greece match

Jan Paul van Hecke went to the sidelines shortly after the Netherlands began their final training session in Zeist on Wednesday. The defender spoke with coach Xavi Hernández and then sat in the dugout, ANP reported in a dispatch carried by Nieuws.nl. [1]

The Netherlands play away to Greece on Thursday. ANP said Van Hecke might miss the match; why he stopped training and whether he will be available remain unclear. [1]

Update

The Netherlands travelled to Thessaloniki on Wednesday without defender Jan Paul van Hecke after he was injured in their final training session in Zeist. The Dutch football association, the KNVB, said he was returning to his club Tottenham Hotspur, ANP reported. [2]

National coach Xavi Hernández has not called up a replacement, leaving the Netherlands with a 23-player squad for Thursday’s Nations League match against Greece. [2]

Update

Netherlands coach Xavi Hernández has described the team’s injury run as largely bad luck ahead of Thursday’s Nations League match against Greece. Brian Brobbey was injured against Germany last week, Lutsharel Geertruida in training and Cody Gakpo against Serbia on Sunday, ANP reported. [3]

Hernández said Jan Paul van Hecke, who has left the squad, took a blow to his foot against Serbia. He tried to continue, but the pain was too severe during training on Wednesday. [3]