When is it? How can you watch it? What are the possible line-ups?
Netherlands and Austria meet in their Third Group D match at UEFA EURO 2024.
Netherlands and Austria at a glance
When: Wednesday 26 June (00:00 GMT+8 kick-off)
Where: Olympiastadion, Berlin
What: UEFA EURO 2024 Group D Matchday 3
What do you need to know?
Group D is delicately poised going into the final round of games, with both these sides still in a position where they could top the section with victory. The Netherlands followed up their win against Poland with a battling draw with France, although coach Ronald Koeman does not seem satisfied despite their unbeaten start, insisting that “we’re a team that still needs to grow”.
Austria, meanwhile, bounced back well from their narrow loss to France by comfortably beating Poland 3-1, goalscorer Marko Arnautović lauding his side by saying: “We’re a really good team and proved that today.” Austria have lost their last seven matches against the Netherlands including friendlies, and are without a competitive win against them since a World Cup qualifier in 1984. Tuesday evening would be a great time to change the record.
Possible line-ups
Netherlands: Verbruggen; Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Aké; Schouten, Simons, Reijnders; Frimpong, Depay, Gakpo
Misses next match if booked: Schouten, Veerman
Austria: Pentz; Posch, Danso, Lienhart, Mwene; Seiwald, Laimer; Wimmer, Baumgartner, Sabitzer; Gregoritsch
Misses next match if booked: Arnautović, Baumgartner, Danso, Laimer, Mwene, Wimmer, Wöber
Form guide
Netherlands:
Form (all competitions, most recent first): DWWWLW
Austria:
Form (all competitions, most recent first): WLDWWW
Expert predictions
Derek Brookman, Netherlands reporter
While the scoreless draw against France could conceivably have been a victory, the Dutch will nonetheless be buoyed at facing Austria as group leaders. Ralf Rangnick’s men will be tough opponents, and are currently on an identical run to the Oranje (seven wins and one draw from their last nine games). But the Netherlands have won the last seven meetings between the countries, and will feel confident of picking up at least the one point required to finish in the top two.
James Thorogood, Austria reporter
Considered among the dark horses by many, Austria are having to battle rising expectation levels, but nevertheless have a foot out of one of the toughest groups at EURO 2024. Rangnick has instilled a belief in his players that they can match up to the best Europe has to offer and it’s proven infectious. Austria fans who were previously on the fence about their prospects of getting out of Group D are now talking up their chances of avoiding a potentially precarious third-place finish.
What the coaches say
Ronald Koeman, Netherlands coach: “We know that it will be a tough match, because you can’t underestimate Austria, especially in the way they put you under pressure, so we’ll have to be very focussed and concentrated when we are in possession. We’ll have to deal well with being in possession, and also to know when to play the long ball to get out of the pressure they’ll put us under.”
Ralf Rangnick, Austria coach: “We will miss Gernot Trauner, unfortunately, because he was in terrific form and played well in the first 60 minutes [against Poland]. He will not be available tomorrow, but apart from that we have everybody on board. They play their Dutch style, love to be in possession, love to find solutions on the ball, being creative, being flexible. But on the other hand, if we can play at the highest possible level against the ball, winning balls in their half, winning most of the second balls, this will be important for our own performance. We have to do that on a very high level again because, individually, they are almost on the same level as France.”