Romania v Netherlands LIVE: Euro 2024 team news, build up and updates from Munich

The Cristiano Ronaldo show rumbled into Frankfurt, and it didn’t disappoint. Well, unless you are a selfie-hunting, “siuuuu” screaming fanboy that is.

Portugal progressing via penalty shootout success over Slovenia to book a quarter-final date with France will be billed as a Ronaldo redemption story, but after a night where he did his utmost to make an entire match about himself, the veteran superstar, in tears mid-match, frankly doesn’t deserve it.

Instead, Diogo Costa must embrace all the acclaim that should be coming his way, after three other-worldly saves in the shootout to send a below-par Portugal through.

The Trent Alexander-Arnold Experiment is dead. Time for another Trent Alexander-Arnold Experiment. Liverpool’s vice-captain seems a misunderstood, underused talent at international level.

His time in midfield spanned 123 minutes against Serbia and Denmark and was of sufficient importance, such a scientific voyage of discovery, that it assumed a status of its own. It was an ‘Experiment’.

That it has been deemed a failure was apparent when Gareth Southgate worked his way through a series of partners for Declan Rice against Slovakia – Kobbie Mainoo for craft, Conor Gallagher for graft, Jude Bellingham for overhead kicks – and no scenario called for Alexander-Arnold.

Taking a glance back at yesterday’s matches now and Cristiano Ronaldo says he hit ‘rock bottom’ after missing a penalty in extra-time which would have won the game for Portugal.

Instead Slovenia forced a penalty shootout where Ronaldo scored as his side triumphed 3-0 thanks to Diogo Costa’s heroics in goal.

“Even the strongest people have their [bad] days. I was at rock bottom when the team needed me the most,” said Ronaldo afterwards.

“Sadness at the start is joy at the end. That’s what football is. Moments, inexplicable moments. I feel sad and happy at the same time.

“But the important thing is to enjoy it. The team did an extraordinary job. We fought right to the end and I think we deserved it because we had more authority.”

Netherlands striker Memphis Depay says that Euro 2024 is only just getting started as his team prepare for their first knockout round clash against Romania.

Like most of the established nations, there have been concerns over the Netherlands’ performances so far, particularly in the 3-2 loss to Austria in their final group game.

Depay said: “We must ensure that we learn from our mistakes. We had discussions and criticised each other and it is normal that there is friction if the results do not go as you want them to go.

“It’s logical that there will be irritations but that’s behind us now. There’s a good spirit among the group and we are looking forward.

“The tournament is only starting now.”

Romania. Austria or Turkey. Switzerland or a wildly unimpressive England. Taken at face value, on history and international reputation, it’s not a route to the final of a major men’s international tournament which would terrify Europe’s finest.

Add Netherlands in as the nation which faces that pathway, that opportunity, and there would usually be a heavy favourite. Usually.

In years gone by – eras gone by, it’s probably more reflective to say – an Oranje team would have looked at those upcoming and potentially upcoming fixtures and merely decided, there and then, they would be getting to the final. And few would have opposed such a thought.

But this Netherlands is not that Netherlands, and the current iteration has a whole host of issues, not the least of which is failing to qualify for two recent tournaments and only having a third-place finish in 2014 as the sole vaguely respectable run from their last six attempts.

Romania XI: Nita, Bancu, Burca, Dragusin, Ratiu, Marin, Coman, Stanciu, R Marin, Hagi, Dragus

Netherlands XI: Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Dijk, De Vrij, Ake; Reijnders, Schouten, Simons; Frimpong, Depay, Gakpo

Koeman has tinkered with the Netherlands’ line up already this tournament, and Xavi Simons is likely to be the preferred choice in the centre of midfield, after Joey Veerman started the previous match.

Denzel Dumfries could also be another change, after Luthsharel Geertruida received the not ahead of him in the previous match. While Joshua Zirkzee is expected to be available after an illness.

Romania will be without Nicusor Bancu, with the left-back suspended for the game.

Romania v Netherlands kicks off at 5pm BST at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.

The match will be shown live on BBC One with coverage starting at 4.30pm BST and can also be streamed via the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport app and website.

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