Afellay makes Holland final cut

Despite spending almost the entire 2012-12 season on the sidelines injured, Barcelona winger Ibrahim Afellay was included in the Netherlands’ final 23-man squad for the European Championship, yesterday.

Afellay suffered a serious knee injury in September but has returned to fitness just in time for the Euros.

“Ibrahim has completely recovered and has played some minutes with Barca in the last few weeks,” said coach Bert van Marwijk, explaining his decision to include the former PSV Eindhoven man.

“All he is missing is competitive rhythm but he will recover that quickly.”

Van Marwijk had to trim four players from the squad that travelled to a training camp last week, and Ajax duo Vurnon Anita and Siem de Jong missed out along with Jeremain Lens of PSV and Adam Maher of AZ Alkmaar.

Sixteen of the squad for the finals in Poland and Ukraine were part of the squad that went to the World Cup in South Africa in 2010, when the Oranje reached the final before losing to Spain.

The Netherlands have been drawn in Group B at Euro 2012 along with Germany, Portugal and Denmark.

They will kick off their campaign against Denmark in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Sunday, June 9.