Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk will not accompany his team to Germany for Monday's Nations League match, choosing instead to take additional rest ahead of a demanding schedule with Liverpool. The Dutch FA announced his decision on Saturday, confirming that Van Dijk, suspended due to a red card in Friday's 1-1 draw against Hungary, will remain absent from the squad for the upcoming fixture.
Initially, the 33-year-old defender expressed his intention to stay with his teammates despite the suspension. Speaking to NOS television after the match, Van Dijk shared his desire to be present as captain, saying, "I’ll just travel with the team, of course… I just played 80 minutes tonight, so I will first have to recover and I just want to be with the team as captain."
However, Van Dijk later reconsidered and opted to return to Liverpool, citing the upcoming challenges of a packed schedule. Liverpool will soon face Chelsea, RB Leipzig, Arsenal, and Brighton twice in the next three weeks, prompting Van Dijk to prioritize recovery. He remarked on his change of plans, acknowledging the intense travel and match demands, and concluded that "it is a good time to get some rest."
As the first Netherlands captain to receive a red card in an international match, Van Dijk will miss his first international game since June 2022, leaving the squad without a replacement. The Dutch team, reduced in numbers, traveled to Munich from Budapest on Saturday.
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