5 Players Out as Viral Infection Hits Netherlands Squad

Soccer Football - Ronald Koeman is officially presented as national soccer coach of the Dutch national team - KNVB Campus, Zeist, Netherlands - January 23, 2023 New Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman during the presentation REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw
Soccer Football - Ronald Koeman is officially presented as national soccer coach of the Dutch national team - KNVB Campus, Zeist, Netherlands - January 23, 2023 New Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman during the presentation REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw
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5 Players Out as Viral Infection Hits Netherlands Squad

Soccer Football - Ronald Koeman is officially presented as national soccer coach of the Dutch national team - KNVB Campus, Zeist, Netherlands - January 23, 2023 New Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman during the presentation REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw
Soccer Football - Ronald Koeman is officially presented as national soccer coach of the Dutch national team - KNVB Campus, Zeist, Netherlands - January 23, 2023 New Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman during the presentation REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw

Five players in the Netherlands squad to face World Cup finalist France in their opening European Championship qualifier have been sent home after contracting a viral infection.

Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt along with Sven Botman, Joey Veerman and Bart Verbruggen all left the training camp, the Dutch federation said on Thursday. It did not elaborate on the virus, The Associated Press reported.

The departures were another blow to coach Ronald Koeman ahead of the first match of his second stint in charge of the national team. Already this week, Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong and Ajax winger Steven Bergwijn dropped out due to injuries.

Koeman sought to play down the absences, saying he still had confidence in his team.

“I have two players in every attacking position," he said. "On paper, I have six forwards and that is enough for me.”

Koeman called up Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, Vitesse Arnhem's Kjell Scherpen and Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij as replacements for the five ill players.

The Netherlands plays France at the Stade de France on Friday in a Group B qualifier before returning home to take on Gibraltar on Monday in Rotterdam.

Koeman said France has great players all over the pitch, but singled out Kylian Mbappe, who scored a hat trick in the World Cup final, a player “who can change a game on his own.”



Riyadh Season Sponsors Partnership Between La Liga and Thmanyah

The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League. SPA
The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League. SPA
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Riyadh Season Sponsors Partnership Between La Liga and Thmanyah

The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League. SPA
The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League. SPA

Riyadh Season has sponsored the signing of a partnership agreement in London between the Spanish football league -- La Liga -- and Thmanyah, the exclusive broadcaster of Saudi competitions and a subsidiary of the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG). The partnership aims to improve the broadcast quality of the Saudi Pro League.

The agreement was signed on Thursday on behalf of Riyadh Season by CEO of the General Entertainment Authority, Eng. Faisal bin Saeed Bafarat, on behalf of La Liga by President Javier Tebas, and on behalf of Thmanyah by its founder and CEO Abdulrahman Abumalih.

Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and President of the Saudi Boxing Federation Turki Alalshikh stated that Riyadh Season's sponsorship of the partnership reflects its ongoing efforts to establish a strong global presence.

He noted that Riyadh Season’s sponsorship of La Liga last year was a major milestone and that the new step continues the strategy of positioning Riyadh Season as a global brand across various sectors.

For his part, Javier Tebas expressed his enthusiasm about collaborating with Riyadh Season and Thmanyah to elevate the audiovisual production standards of the Saudi Pro League.

“We already enjoy a fruitful partnership and are building on a strong foundation, as the league’s audiovisual production is managed by highly qualified professionals. We will work alongside them to deliver even more exceptional broadcast experiences,” he said.

Tebas stressed that the partnership marks an important step in enhancing the international profile of Saudi football.

The partnership includes training programs aimed at developing the capabilities of local audiovisual production teams, ensuring gradual and sustainable knowledge transfer. It also involves cooperation in formulating a comprehensive strategy to combat digital piracy in the Kingdom, helping to protect entertainment and sports content.

The agreement reflects a strategic direction toward delivering a complete viewing experience that meets audience expectations both locally and internationally, while also boosting content quality and expanding the global reach of the Saudi Pro League.