Babel named in Olympics squad

Babel: Included in Olympic squad

Ryan Babel has been included in the Holland squad for next month's Olympics despite Rafa Benitez's reservations.

Liverpool boss Benitez had voiced his concerns over Babel being included in Foppe de Haan's squad for the Olympics in Beijing, as it would mean the talented attacker would miss the start of the Premier League season.

Despite Benitez's protestations, De Haan has included the former Ajax youngster in his 18-man squad.

West Brom new boy Gianni Zuiverloon and Celtic midfielder Evander Sno have also been named in De Haan's final selection.

Gerald Sibon, Roy Makaay and Kew Jaliens will make up the three over-age players allowed in the squad.

As part of their preparations for the Games, Holland will face Belgium on 23rd July before flying to Hong Kong for the ING Cup.

The team will then move onto Tianjin in China, where they play their first Olympic match against Nigeria on 7th August before also facing Japan and the United States in Group B.

Squad: Velthuizen (Vitesse Arnhem), Vermeer (Ajax); Jaliens (AZ Alkmaar), Jong-A-Pin (Heerenveen), Luijckx, Marcellis, Pieters (both PSV Eindhoven), Zuiverloon (West Bromwich Albion); Bakkal, Emanuelson (Ajax), De Guzman (Feyenoord), Maduro (Valencia), Sno (Celtic); Beerens (Heerenveen), Babel (Liverpool), Drenthe (Real Madrid), Makaay (Feyenoord), Sibon (Heerenveen).