Netherlands without De Ligt for opener

The Netherlands will go into their first game of Euro 2020 against Ukraine today without Matthijs de Ligt as the Juventus defender recovers from a groin injury, coach Frank de Boer confirmed. “It is a bit too early so we don’t want to take any risks with him and we also have two other games in the group phase to go,” De Boer told reporters at a news conference yesterday. “His injury is not that bad and we are sure he will play a part in the next game.”
De Ligt missed the Netherlands’ final Euro 2020 warm-up match against Georgia last weekend and his absence is a major blow given they are coming into the tournament without their other leading central defender in Virgil van Dijk.
The Liverpool star is still recovering from a serious knee injury. De Boer is also coming into the tournament without goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, who was left out of the squad after testing positive for Covid-19.
The veteran Maarten Stekelenburg, 38, will take over between the posts, preferred to Tim Krul of Norwich City. “He is our number one at this moment,” De Boer said of Stekelenburg, who played in the side that lost to Spain in the 2010 World Cup final.
The Netherlands are returning to a major tournament after failing to qualify either for Euro 2016 or the 2018 World Cup in Russia. They will play all their games in Group C at home in Amsterdam, with Ukraine’s visit today being followed by matches against Austria next Thursday and then North Macedonia on June 21.

Austria ready to write history with win over North Macedonia: Coach
Austria could make history when they take on underdogs North Macedonia in their Euro 2020 Group C opener today, earning their first ever win in the competition, coach Franco Foda said yesterday.
Austria are the favourites against the small Balkan nation, but in their only other appearances at the tournament, as co-hosts in 2008 and in France in 2016, they drew twice and lost four times.
“We have a very good atmosphere and we have waited for a year for this,” Foda said. “We want to win it at all cost, start the tournament on a positive foot. I feel no pressure and it told the team and the players that we can make history tomorrow and that is our aim.”