Johan Cruijff Arena will on Friday witness the top-of-the-table clash between Greece and the Netherlands in Group 2 of the UEFA Nations League.
Both sides are unbeaten after four games and level on eight points apiece. As the sides are set to convene for their penultimate League A fixture, what’s at stake is obviously the top spot with two rounds of games to go.
It’s expected to be a tight fight for a qualification from Group 2, with the Netherlands and Greece only separated by goals scored.
A draw will leave the Oranjes on top of the log as the Greeks trail by two goals.
It will also be an opportunity for Germany to close in on them if they play out a draw and the traditional heavyweights win.
Germany are just three points behind in third place, with only the top two to advance to the Nations League quarter-finals.
The Netherlands gathered eight points from two wins and two draws, showing plenty of character under new national coach Xavi Hernandez.
They fought back for a point against Germany with Cody Gakpo’s late strike on matchday one, before home-and-away wins over rock-bottomed Serbia and a thrilling game in Greece split the points.
The second draw against the Greeks sees the Oranje trailing 2-0 as the final half-hour approached before roaring back to claim a draw, thanks to goals from captain Virgil van Dijk and impact substitute Tijjani Reijnders.
With the fixture on their home turf, it’s an opportunity for Xavi’s men to potentially confirm their entry to the knockout phase, which will begin early next year.
The closest Greece got to beating the Netherlands in a competitive match was the 2-2 draw in Thessaloniki. They have extended a long reign of dominance. The Netherlands had previously won both qualifiers between the pair en route to Euro 2024.
Having almost secured their first win against them, the Greeks will be buoyed by their meeting on matchday three.
Galanolefki, promoted from League B last time around, remain undefeated at Europe’s elite level as a talented new generation breaks through.
They began the present campaign with a victory, overturning a deficit to beat Serbia in their opener via a stoppage-time winner from Como striker Tasos Douvikas. They followed up with an impressive 1-0 win over Germany.
Having subsequently come within minutes of upsetting the Netherlands, they held Jurgen Klopp’s men to a goalless home draw three days later.
They are firmly in contention for a quarter-final berth. Ivan Jovanovic’s side will now aim to build on that momentum with an historic success at Johan Cruijff Arena.
The hosts are without Ryan Gravenberch, Kenneth Taylor, Brian Brobbey and Van Dijk for the last two games, as they withdrew due to injury.
This allows Brentford’s Sepp van den to cover for Oranje’s vastly experienced skipper, who received his 100th international cap last month.
Xavi won’t be able to use the partnership of Juventus midfielder Teun Koopmeiners and Van Dijk as he did against Serbia, but will go for the more conventional North London duo of Jan Paul van Hecke and Jurrien Timber.
Although Mexx Meerdink impressed in Xavi’s first camp, Xavi is expected to start Donyell Malen after returning to the squad, having scored 14 goals in 12 Roma appearances this season.
The hosts will have to be wary of Serie A star Douvikas, who recently netted a Champions League hat-trick. He also faces a fight to displace Vangelis Pavlidis or Fotis Ioannidis in the visitors’ front line.
With several attacking options at his disposal, Jovanovic can choose from Konstantinos Karetsas and Premier League pair Christos Tzolis and Charalampos Kostoulas.
Greece won’t be able to field Christos Zafeiris and Manolis Saliakas after picking up their second booking of the campaign against Germany. The latter’s absence offers a chance for Lazaros Rota or Georgios Vagiannidis to start at right-back.
