Joris Mathijsen is set to miss Holland's Euro 2012 opener, with Bert van Marwijk admitting the defender is '80 per cent out of the Denmark game'.
Centre-half set to sit out Holland's crunch clash with Denmark
Joris Mathijsen is set to miss Holland's Euro 2012 opener, with Bert van Marwijk admitting the defender is '80 per cent out of the Denmark game'.
The 32-year-old trained away from the Dutch squad on Wednesday as he continues to nurse a hamstring complaint.
The injury looks likely to keep him out of a meeting with Denmark, and his absence at the heart of the back four will be keenly felt by Van Marwijk and his much-fancied side.
"Mathijsen has had a setback because his injury is not improving quickly enough," said the Dutch coach.
"We'll make a decision in two days, we'll look closely to see how he does in training.
"I'm willing to take a risk but we'll have to wait two days. He's 80 per cent out of the Denmark game."
Important
Whoever lines up against the Danes, Van Marwijk is expecting few surprises in a meeting between two sides that know each other well.
"The Danish team have changed about four or five positions (since they met at the 2010 World Cup)," he said.
"You could see they were a strong team in qualifying for the Euros but what I also said two years ago is that we don't have any secrets.
"A lot of their players play in Holland and also in other European leagues, their style of play is a little bit the same, both teams respect each other.
"It's a big tournament and the first game for me is the most important game of the last six months.
"When the draw was made I said it was the most important and it still is."
