Ronald Koeman is intrigued how his Netherlands side will cope without captain Virgil van Dijk when they visit Germany on Monday. (More Football News)
Koeman's Oranje travel to Allianz Arena to round off th♔eir October internationals with a mouthwatering clash against an꧋other European heavyweight.
The Netherlands will do so without ಞstar centre-back Van Dijk after the Liverpool defender was dismissed in their last 1-1 draw with Hungary in their Group A3 meeting.
Koe🃏man acknowledged the𝓰ir towering captain will be a sore miss against Julian Nagelsmann's side, with Stefan de Vrij or Denzel Dumfries expected as his replacement.
"Virgil is someon🎉e who coaches a lot from the back. Now others have to do that. Some people are more capable of that than others and it also has to do with experience," Koeman told Sunday's press conference.
"I certainly think it will be interesting to see how that works in the t🤪eam now that Virgil is not there. He has almost always been available."
Liverpool team♓-mate Cody Gakpo echoed a similar sentiment on Van Dijk's enforced absence.
"Virgil is an exceptional player, but now we🌃 are obliged to replace him. There are other good players who can do that," Gakpo added.
For the hosts, Germany midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic 🐻will be back from injury and form a midfield partnership with Angelo Stiller, Nagelsmann confirmed on Sunday.
"Angelo and Pavlovic will play in midfไield," Nagelsmann told a press conference, praising the pair as prospects for the team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
"[Stiller] trains well and he played a 💟good last season [with VfB Stuttgart]. He has also started this season 🐈well. He still has a few things he can do better. But I want to see him do that.
"Given his age he is a prospect f🐼or us. We have two years until the World Cup ... so we need some younger players."
Germany are top of Nations League Group A3 on seven points from three🌳 matches, with Netherlands second on five.
The pair shared a 2-2 draw last month in Amsterdam, and Nagelsmann expects ano🎉ther tough test on Monday.
"It will be an interesting game against a good opponent,🐼" Nagelsmann added. "We cꦬould have won in Amsterdam so we'll try to do it again. We'll be more pushed than we were against Bosnia."
