With last Tuesday's game against Sporting CP still fresh in the memory and the Eredivisie match against Sparta Rotterdam around the corner, coach Peter Bosz has plenty to discuss. He also clarifies the absence of Jerdy Schouten at Oranje.
Jerdy Schouten has not been called up for Oranje. What's wrong with him?
"Jerdy didn't come out of the game against Sporting CP fit enough to be called up for Oranje, so he won't play tomorrow against Sparta Rotterdam either. It's general fatigue and not an injury. The rest of the group is fine though, they got a boost from the way they played last Tuesday."
What about Rick Karsdorp?
"I'll have to check on him later. Once in a while you do get a knee that you can walk out of, but apparently that wasn't the case now. I'm going to hear after the press conference, but it doesn't seem to be anything serious."
Are you curious what the follow-up is after the good game?
"Yes very curious. We now get the chance to show that we can also play that well in the Eredivisie. I've often said I want to see that, but until now it hasn't come out."
Are you somewhere happy that so few players have been called up for their national team?
"Yes, very happy. For example, the Netherlands plays two away games this period. Then not only the matches start to play a factor, but also travel time. I don't see Walter again until Friday after an international break. He then travels from Wednesday to Thursday in the night, that does something to a body."
What do you expect from Sparta Rotterdam tomorrow?
"There have been some changes in the back line with them, but otherwise a lot has remained the same. The staff is the same so that means the way of playing football also remains largely the same. In last year's championship game we had a hard time with them in the first half, but maybe there was also some tension about the possible championship. So it is up to us to show that we can now play good football twice in a row, because otherwise we are going to have a very difficult time."