Romania have been on a dream run at UEFA Euro 2024, and they will look to make it to the quarter-finals when they face the Netherlands.
The Netherlands have not reached the expected levels so far, and they will have to produce a much better performance than they have done in the group stage if they want to get the better of Romania in the round of 16 fixture at the Allianz Arena.
Romania finished top of Group E despite only collecting four points in their three outings. They won one, drew one and lost one game but still ended up topping the table as they had scored more goals than second-place Belgium, who share the same points and goal difference.
They are heading into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw against Slovakia. Edward Iordanescu’s men were not at their best in their last fixture and they will have to do better if they want to defeat the Dutch.
The Netherlands did not have the best group stage as they could only finish third in Group D behind Austria and France. They could only secure four points in their three outings with a win, a draw and a defeat. While they have had similar results to that of Romania, they have a much stronger squad and were expected to be the top two teams in the group.
The Oranje suffered a 3-2 defeat in their last outing against Austria. They had more of the ball and took more shots on goal but were not good enough to get the better of their opponents. Ronald Koeman’s team will have to put together a much-improved performance if they want to go the distance at Euro 2024 in Germany. Meanwhile, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Romania
Nicusor Bancu is unavailable after picking up his second yellow of the group stage in their last outing. With Bancu suspended, Edward Iordanescu is forced to make at least one change. Razvan Marin is also back in full training and is expected to be 100% fit for this fixture.
Romania will go ahead with the 4-3-3 formation, where Florin Nita will be in goal. Vasile Mogos will come into the right-back slot, while Andrei Ratiu will shift to the other flanks. In the heart of the defence, Radu Dragusin will pair up with Andrei Burca.
The back four will look for a clean sheet and they will receive some support from Razvan Marin who will be the defensive midfielder. He will be supported by the likes of Nicolae Stanciu and Marius Marin. The trio will look to control the tempo of the game.
Ianis Hagi and Florinel Coman will feature on the flanks for them. The duo will provide width and look to create goal-scoring chances for Denis Dragus.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Nita; Mogos, Dragusin, Burca, Ratiu; Marius Marin, Razvan Marin, Stanciu; Hagi, Dragus, Coman
Netherlands
Ronald Koeman is expected to make a few tactical changes to their XI after they suffered a defeat in their last two outings. Joey Veerman who was subbed out in the first half of their last outing is unlikely to feature here.
The Dutch will go ahead with the 4-2-3-1 formation against Romania, with Bart Verbruggen in goal. Denzel Dumfries and Nathan Ake will feature as the full-backs for them, while Stefan de Vrij and Virgil van Dijk will take charge in the heart of the defence.
Tijjani Reijnders and Jerdy Schouten will form the double pivot in the centre of the park. They will look to control the tempo and ensure they have the majority of the ball. Jeremie Frimpong and Cody Gakpo will provide the width to their attacks, while Xavi Simons will feature as the number 10 behind star striker Memphis Depay.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Dumfries, de Vrij, van Dijk, Ake; Reijnders, Schouten; Frimpong, Simons, Gakpo; Depay
Key Stats
- The Netherlands have nine wins out of 13 matches against Romania who have only won once.
- This will be the second meeting between Romania and the Netherlands in a major international tournament. They last met in Euro 2008 where the Dutch won 2-0.
- Romania have lost each of their last four games against the Netherlands.
- Ronald Koeman’s team have lost each of their last three matches in the knockout stages of the Euros.
- Edward Iordanescu’s men have reached the knockout stages for the first time in 24 years.
Player to Watch
Xavi Simons
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder was on fire last season as he scored 10 goals and bagged 15 assists while on loan at RB Leipzig. He was a standout player for the German club and was expected to play a big part in the Netherlands run at Euro 2024. So far, he hasn’t lived up to the expectations but with the knockout rounds now underway, Koeman will hope Simons brings him A game to the table and helps his team win.
Prediction
Romania 0-2 Netherlands
Both teams had similar results in their respective groups. Nut Romania finished top in their group, while the Netherlands barely made it out of the group after finishing third. However, that is a story of the past, and this fixture is independent of everything that has happened so far. So, one would expect a team like the Netherlands to make their presence felt.
Given the quality they have in their squad, The Hard Tackle predicts an easy 2-0 win for the Dutch. A draw followed by penalty shootouts is also a viable bet, but for those into Euro 2024 predictions and odds, a 2-0 victory for Ronald Koeman and his charges is the way to go.