Emmanuel Emegha dropped out of RC Strasbourg on Sunday evening with a muscle injury. According to Ronald Koeman, the striker has little chance of winning the World Cup anymore. The national coach said this on Sunday evening at Studio Voetbal.
Koeman has seen several players drop out with injuries on the way to the World Cup. After Jerdy Schouten and Xavi Simons, it is also almost certain that Emegha will not go to the final tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The RC Strasbourg striker suffered a muscle injury in a league match against Toulouse on Sunday evening. Emegha came on for Sebastian Nanasi in the 82nd minute and was injured on the ground shortly afterwards.
“I have not yet received a report from the medical staff, but if you have problems with your hamstring on Sunday, you will probably not be able to play on Thursday,” said Koeman, who was in contact with Emegha on Friday. “He had played against Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League on Thursday evening. He already said that he would not start on Sunday, but he has now only played ten minutes and has been injured again.”
Koeman responded to the news on Sunday evening at Studio Voetbal. “He has had a season with a lot of injuries. It is painful if you have a chance of going to a final tournament, that you get injured again. That applies to him, but also to other players. If you sustain a muscle injury during this period and the recovery takes five or six weeks. Then unfortunately you will not play a final tournament. But I have not yet had contact with Emegha.”
Emegha has eight goals in eighteen matches for Strasbourg this season, but the 23-year-old striker from The Hague only played 896 minutes for the number eight of the Ligue 1. Strasbourg will play the return against Rayo Vallecano on Thursday evening (9 p.m.) for a place in the Conference League final, after Thursday’s 1-0 in Madrid.
Til still has a chance of winning the World Cup, Wijnaldum does not
According to Koeman, Guus Til has a chance of going to the World Cup. Til could possibly join the Dutch selection as a replacement for the injured internationals Jerdy Schouten and Xavi Simons.
Koeman still takes into account that Memphis Depay will go to the World Cup. The Dutch top scorer has not been fit in recent weeks, but still has a number of matches in the Brazilian competition scheduled. Koeman assumes that Depay will still play for his club Corinthians before the preparation of the Dutch national team begins.
“It is expected that he will be part of the Corinthians match selection again in the coming matches. Fortunately, they have a program with many matches,” said Koeman. “It may well be that Depay starts on the bench, but if he has not played until the start of the preparation, then it will be difficult. Donyell Malen is someone who can be the first striker, but these are questions that I can only really answer once I know who is fit and who is not.”
Koeman made it clear that Georginio Wijnaldum will no longer play for the Dutch team. “I made it clear to him that I choose others,” said Koeman. “Marten de Roon is still in the back of my mind.”
Koeman also indicated that he is considering including four goalkeepers in his selection of 26 players, which will be announced by the KNVB on Monday, May 25.
The Netherlands will play the first group match at the World Cup in Dallas against Japan on June 14. This will be followed by matches against Sweden (June 20 in Houston) and Tunisia (June 26 in Kansas City).
