The Netherlands and Turkey will compete for a spot in the Euro 2024 semi-finals at Berlin's Olympiastadion on Saturday evening.
The last time Turkey and the Netherlands met in a competitive encounter, both secured home wins during the qualifiers for Qatar 2022.
Reaching the European Championship semi-finals would be only the second time in the Crescent-Stars' history, while the Oranje aim to add another chapter to their storied football legacy.
Despite a shaky start to their Euro 2024 campaign, the Oranje have made it to the quarter-finals and now have their sights set on the Henri Delaunay trophy. Ronald Koeman's side advanced from Group D in third place after a victory over Poland, a goalless draw with France, and a thrilling 3-2 defeat to Austria.
In the last 16, the Netherlands faced Group E winners Romania and secured a 3-0 victory. The Dutch team dominated with 50 touches inside the Romanian penalty area-a record for the team. Cody Gakpo's strike opened the scoring in the first half, and second-half substitute Donyell Malen added a late brace to seal the win.
Koeman, part of the Netherlands' only major international success at Euro 1988, aims to replicate that achievement as a coach.
The Dutch boss has a fully fit squad to choose from and is expected to field the same starting side that beat Romania in the last-16, but with Donyell Malen in for Steven Bergwijn. Bergwijn was the surprise inclusion in the lineup against Romania, and he helped create a lot of space for Denzel Dumfries down the right, producing a number of nice touches. However, the Ajax forward was substituted at the break after picking up a knock.
Bart Verbruggen is set to start at the goal, with Virgil van Dijk captaining the team from center-back.
The Dutch fans are beginning to dream big with Xavi Simons and Malen showcasing their potential and Gakpo in contention for the Golden Boot. Having scored three goals in four Euro 2024 appearances, Gakpo remains a crucial part of the Oranje attack.
Key midfielder Jerdy Schouten should overcome muscular stiffness. It will be fit for the quarter-final, while Memphis Depay (just four goals shy of Robin van Persie's record for the Netherlands) will be keen to score his second goal at the Euros.
Turkey's journey has been marked by resilience and drama. Vincenzo Montella's side kicked off their last-16 match against Austria with the fastest knockout round goal in European Championship history. Center-back Merih Demiral scored twice, a rare and impressive feat for him or any center-back, but Austria fought back, almost pushing the game into extra time.
Goalkeeper Mert Gunok's incredible last-gasp save preserved Turkey's 2-1 victory. Missing captain Hakan Çalhanoglu due to a suspension, talents like Real Madrid starlet Arda Guler and Kenan Yild?z stepped up, with the former particularly impressive.
Coach Vincenzo Montella, dealing with further suspensions and players at risk of missing the semis due to bookings, now faces the challenge of overcoming the Netherlands. Expect a disciplined defensive strategy with quick counter-attacks, leveraging their young talents and resilience.
Montella will welcome back captain Hakan Çalhanoglu, but he faces some crucial suspensions in the middle, with former Feyenoord midfielder Orkun Kokcu and Ismail Yuksek both suspended. Moreover, the hero from the last-16 clash against Austria, Merih Demiral, will also be suspended.
While the Netherlands might have a slight advantage, the match is expected to be highly competitive and could go either way. Indeed, either team could advance depending on key moments and performances from their star players.
Considering their contrasting styles and paths to Berlin, this clash promises to be an exciting and closely contested quarter-final. Both teams have a genuine shot at progressing to the semi-finals next week.
