Two Serie A players are starting in tonight’s World Cup quarter-final clash between the Netherlands and Argentina.
The winner of the clash between the two historic nations will face Croatia in the semi-finals on Tuesday December 13, setting up an incredibly tense affair at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
No Serie A players appear in Argentina’s starting XI for the clash, with Juventus’ Angel Di Maria, Roma’s Paulo Dybala and Inter’s Lautaro Martinez all left on the bench.
The Netherlands squad contains two Serie A players – Inter wingback Denzel Dumfries, who was the hero of their Round of 16 clash with the United States, and Atalanta‘s Marten de Roon. Teun Koopmeiners has been left on the bench.
The Netherlands and Argentina have faced each other nine times in the past, with five of these coming in World Cups. The Dutch have won three of these, lost four and drawn twice.
Starting line-ups for the World Cup quarter-final clash between the Netherlands and Argentina:
The Netherlands (3-4-1-2): Noppert; Timber, Van Dijk, Ake; Dumfries, De Roon, De Jong, Blind; Bergwijn; Gakpo, Depay.
Argentina (3-5-2): E. Martinez; Romero, Otamendi, Li. Martinez; Molina, Fernandez, Mac Allister, De Paul, Acuna; Messi, Alvarez.