Rafael van der Vaart has withdrawn from the Dutch squad for their two upcoming World Cup qualifiers in Estonia and Andorra because of a hamstring injury.
He has been replaced by Adam Maher, of PSV Eindhoven, the Dutch Football Federation said yesterday. The 20-year-old replacement has won four caps.
Van der Vaart’s withdrawal follows that of Georgino Wijnaldum on Monday because of an ankle injury. He has since been rep-laced by Wesley Sneijder.
The Dutch lead Group D after six opening wins and can qualify for the World Cup if they claim victory in Tallinn tomorrow and Andorra four days later.
Venezuela struck by stomach bug
Venezuela’s national team has been struck by a stomach bug before their visit to Chile this weekend for a potentially decisive World Cup qualifier.
Coach Cesar Farias said 20 of his players had been affected.
“They didn’t have a good night and they weren’t able to train well,” he told reporters.
Venezuela, the only South American team never to have played at the World Cup, are sixth in the nine-team South American group, with 16 points from 13 games.
Cesc: Ozil good buy for Gunners
Cesc Fabregas believes former club Arsenal have managed to prise away Real Madrid’s second-best player with the capture of Mesut Ozil.
Many of Ozil’s former team-mates at Real have since ex-pressed their surprise that the Germany international was allowed to leave the Bernabeu, and Fabregas also admits he was taken aback by the news.
However, the Spain mid-fielder also feels the Gunners have got themselves a top player.
He said: “I was really surprised by Ozil’s departure. He seemed to me the second-best player at Madrid, after Cristiano Ronaldo.
“He’ll be great for Arsenal.”
Boateng stung by Klopp comments
Kevin-Prince Boateng is disappointed over comments made by former coach Jurgen Klopp following the midfielder’s decision to leave Milan for Schalke.
“I’m really surprised. I sent him a text message saying ‘Why Schalke?!’ with eight question marks, but I didn’t hear back from him,” said Klopp.
Klopp’s remarks were meant in jest, but Boateng has told Sport Bild magazine that he failed to see the funny side.
“Many people thought it was funny, but I didn’t,” he said.
“Even if Kloppo and I have a good relationship, he’s not going to hear me say a bad word about him, but his words surprised me.”
Allegri confirms Italy ambition
Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has reiterated his ambition to lead the Italian national side one day.
Allegri is being mentioned as a contender to replace Cesare Prandelli who is expected to leave after the 2014 World Cup.
“I’ve said on numerous occasions that the dream of any coach is to lead your own country and that’s the case for me,” Allegri told Sky Sport Italia.
“Right now I’m at Milan and I’m very happy to be the coach here, while there is a great man in charge of Italy.
“But it is a role I aspire to, not necessarily now, maybe in 10 years, but it is only normal that I am targeting such a job.”
France’s Nasri ‘on best behaviour’
France midfielder Samir Nasri has assured coach Didier Des-champs there will be no repeat of the behaviour which saw him cast into the international wilderness for a year.
The 26-year-old Manchester City player was handed a three-match ban for a foul-mouthed rant at the French media following Les Bleus’ dismal showing at Euro 2012.
Deschamps’s arrival as coach then saw Nasri frozen out of the national side for the next 12 months before he returned to the France fold for the friendly with Belgium last month.
“For a year I lived in un-certainty but, more importantly, I did not deserve to be recalled,” he told L’Equipe.
“I had my worst season since turning pro. I was proud but in-side I was hurting. I’ve suffered and will never do it again.”
Khedira: Real snubbed late bid
Midfielder Sami Khedira has claimed Real Madrid turned down an offer for him just before the closure of the transfer window on Monday night.
Khedira saw his Madrid and Germany team-mate Mesut Ozil make a deadline-day move to Arsenal, but revealed the Spanish giants did not entertain the late offer for him.
The 26-year-old had been linked with Manchester United but did not name the club when quizzed in Munich, where he is preparing for Germany’s up-coming World Cup qualifiers.
“The club turned down the offer and it was done very quickly,” he said.
“It was not even an offer to talk about.”