Premier League Stars Set to Clash in Euro 2024 Semi-Finals

Despite mixed previous results, Dutch players with Premier League influence like Micky van de Ven and Cody Gakpo expect a high-intensity, high-quality game against England in the Euro Championship semi-finals. Both sides boast strong home-based squads and key players, promising an exciting match.

A strong Premier League influence on both sides could ensure an exciting game when England take on the Netherlands in the European Championship semi-finals, Dutch defender Micky van de Ven said on Monday. Most of the English squad are home-based, while the Dutch squad includes seven players from Premier League clubs.

If you see the quality of the players from both teams, I think you can expect that the level and the rhythm of the game will be really high,' Van de Ven said during a press conference. 'Hopefully, it's us that will have more of the ball than England so that it is England who do the running, but I expect a high intensity game,' the Tottenham Hotspur defender added.

Adding a measure of respect, Van de Ven acknowledged, 'We understand they have taken a lot of flak from the English media but they are in the semi-finals, and that says all it needs to about the English team. I think they play defensively but we will analyse them properly tonight, but what I can say is they have a lot of quality.'

Cody Gakpo, who plays for Liverpool, also highlighted the high quality of the English lineup and anticipated a good game on Wednesday. Gakpo, who moved to the Premier League two seasons ago, has shown his prowess on the left wing at Euro 2024, making him the joint top scorer with three goals. He noted, 'I was a left wing before moving to Liverpool and that's always been my preference, but over the last one and a half years, the coach needed me to play somewhere else and I tried to do my best at it.'

'Moving to England has made me a better player,' Gakpo said, having gained significant experience at Liverpool. 'I think a lot changed in my life, moving to Liverpool, a big, big club, with amazing fans and very, very good players surrounding me.'

Gakpo also credited Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp for his development. 'I learnt a lot from the manager. That progressed me a lot as a person and as a player. I'm very happy with the move I made,' he said. Despite their loss to Austria, the Dutch squad feels confident. 'There was always belief in the group that we could go far,' Gakpo said, referring to their recent victories over Romania and Turkey. 'Hopefully, this is not the last you've seen of us.'

(With inputs from agencies.)