Sunday, December 22, 2024

Poland vs Netherlands: UEFA Euro 2024 – BBC Sport

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Poland will be without key striker Robert Lewandowski for their Euro 2024 opener against the Netherlands, who have injury issues of their own.

Barcelona forward Lewandowski, 35, is out of the Group D match at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg with hamstring trouble.

There have been concerns Poland’s all-time record goalscorer could miss the whole group stage, but boss Michal Probierz believes he will be back to face Austria on 21 June.

“Robert will probably join the team for the match against Austria,” he said.

“There is progress in his treatment. The medical staff are doing everything to get him back on his feet.”

Netherlands, meanwhile, have had to deal with the late withdrawals of playmaker Frenkie de Jong (ankle) and Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners (groin).

The Dutch go into the tournament as one of the favourites as they look to win the European Championship for the first time since 1988.

Current manager Ronald Koeman was part of the team that beat West Germany in Hamburg in the semi-finals en route to lifting the trophy.

He believes Netherlands are one of several teams in contention for the title this time.

“In my opinion, there is not a big favourite,” he said. “Maybe the French team a little bit more than the rest because they have a lot of experience, they have won already big tournaments.

“But I think it will be an open fight between different nations – and one of them is Holland.”

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