Long international break sparks Dutch injury wave

An extended 16-day international window featuring four matches triggered widespread injuries across European squads, prompting sharp criticism from the Dutch national team.

Driving the news: Netherlands manager Xavi Hernández and defender Denzel Dumfries criticized the schedule after a 2-1 victory over Serbia on Sunday evening, pointing out severe fatigue and mounting physical strain.

The toll:

• Brian Brobbey, Lutsharel Geertruida, Cody Gakpo, Jan Paul van Hecke, and Micky van de Ven sustained injuries for the Netherlands.
• Spain lost Eric García, Alejandro Grimaldo, Nico Williams, and Ferran Torres, while England, Germany, and France also suffered squad casualties.
• Sports physician Suzanne Huurman stated that muscle injuries surge exponentially whenever squads play matches with fewer than three days of rest.

Club reactions: PSV head coach Peter Bosz expressed frustration over losing footballers for three weeks, admitting concern over the workload of 22-year-old Ruben van Bommel following his recovery from a torn cruciate ligament.

The flip side: Several teams in the Eredivisie (Dutch top flight) capitalized on the pause. NEC traveled to Spain for training camp, FC Utrecht focused on performance gains, and FC Groningen physical trainer Jacco van Olst used the time off until an 11 October match against Excelsior to deliver targeted strength work and allow late-summer signings to recuperate.

Source: 1