Virgil van Dijk Excused from Netherlands Squad

Virgil van Dijk has been excused from the Netherlands national team ahead of their Nations League fixture against Bosnia-Herzegovina, scheduled for Tuesday. The captain for Liverpool completed the entire 90 minutes in his team’s 4-0 triumph over Hungary on Saturday. This result ensured their second-place finish in Group C and, consequently, a spot in the Nations League quarter-finals set for March. Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong was also released by manager Ronald Koeman. This decision came after De Jong made his initial international appearance in 13 months, following a period of multiple ankle injuries. “For both Frenkie and Virgil it is better for them to leave the training camp at this moment,” Koeman said.”That decision was taken on medical grounds, with of course the interest of the players coming first.” Van Dijk has participated in every minute of Liverpool’s Premier League campaign, contributing to their current five-point advantage at the top of the league standings. The squad managed by Arne Slot is scheduled to resume play on Sunday, facing Southampton. In a statement, Liverpool confirmed that Van Dijk would undergo assessment at the club’s training facility prior to the Southampton match.