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10 June 2004
AMSTERDAM — Coach Dick Advocaat has been hit by injury worries ahead of the Dutch team’s first match of the European Championship in Portugal.
Advocaat confirmed to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf on Thursday that 21-year-old midfielder Rafael van der Vaart missed a training session on Wednesday evening.
Van der Vaart plays for Amsterdam Ajax has had ongoing injury problems this season.
He decided to sit out the evening training after sustaining a light stomach muscle injury at the morning season.
“After such a heavy morning training I would have really liked to see him on the field in the evening,” Advocaat said.
“Rafael felt it was better not to take any risks. That is understandable when you are not completely fit. It is not the first time he has had problems.”
“We will just have to wait,” Advocaat said.
The Dutch start their Euro 2004 campaign with a match against traditional rivals Germany next Tuesday.
[Copyright Expatica News 2004]
Subject: Dutch news