Netherlands’ manager Frank De Boer’s plans for Euro 2020 were dealt a severe blow after first-choice goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen tested positive for COVID-19.
According to reports, De Boer isn’t willing to be patient and risk waiting for him to recover and has excluded him from the European Championship squad.
Cillessen ended up testing positive for the dreaded Coronavirus in a control test done last week and has isolated himself from the rest of the contingent.
He missed the Netherlands’ training camp in Portugal where the squad is currently preparing for their group-stage matches. The Dutch side will be up against Austria, North Macedonia, and Ukraine in Group C and barring a total upset, should comfortably progress to the knockout rounds.
De Boer informed Valencia’s Cillessen that he would not be included in the final squad following the recent development as the list had to be submitted to UEFA by 31st May.
“I informed Jasper of my decision this morning. Let me start by saying that I find this incredibly sad for Jasper but I had to take the plunge,” said De Boer in a statement.
“He has tested positive for corona and as a result missed an important part of the preparation. We don’t know how long it will take until he is 100 percent fit again. I don’t want to take any chances in that regard.
“We are on the eve of a European Championship and I want certainty, even if I understand how painful it is for Jasper,” De Boer added.
Netherlands have included AZ Alkmaar keeper Marco Bizot to the final squad. Bizot was previously a part of the training camp as a reserve goalkeeper.
Norwich City’s Tim Krul and Ajax’s Marten Stekelenburg are the other two keepers in the squad.
Meanwhile, the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) revealed that more fans will be permitted inside the Johann Cruijff Stadium in Amsterdam. Earlier, the officials were planning on accommodating only 12,000 fans inside the stadium for the four Euro 2020 matches.
However, as per the recent development, they’re looking to increase the seating capacity to 16,000. “In April it became clear that at least a quarter of the Johann Cruijff Arena could be filled but now, based on the results of various studies, the epidemiological situation in June and the decrease in pressure on care, the occupancy has been scaled up to a third,” the KNVB said in a statement.
