Saturday Van Marwijk chose his squad for the European Championship in Ukraine and Poland. The squad of 23 players includes Ibrahim Afellay who was absent during the training camp in Switzerland where the team was doing its first preparations.

On Saturday the Dutch squad lost 2-1 against the Bulgarians in the Amsterdam ArenA. Gullit and Van Basten were surprised that Afellay will only join the squad on Monday. They felt that because he didn’t participate in the cup finale in Madrid with FC Barcelona, he could have traveled to Amsterdam in time for the match the next day. ‘He was injured for a long time and hasn’t played a lot since his injury, so it would have been wise to come back and play tonight.’

On Monday Oranje will meet in Hoenderloo. During that week they will play their last two friendlies, against Slovakia on Wednesday May 30th at the Kuip in Rotterdam (20:30) and the last one on Saturday June 2nd against North-Ireland at the Amsterdam ArenA (20:00). On Monday June 4th, Bert van Marwijk and his team will depart to Krakow, Poland.

Full squad:

Ibrahim Afellay (Barcelona), Mark van Bommel (AC Milan PSV), Kahlid Boulahrouz (VfB Stuttgart), Wilfred Bouma (PSV), John Heitinga (Everton), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke’04), Luuk de Jong (FC Twente), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Tim Krul (Newcastle United), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Joris Mathijsen (Málaga), Luciano Narsingh (sc Heerenveen), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern München), Stijn Schaars (Sporting), Wesley Sneijder (Inter), Maarten Stekelenburg (AS Roma), Kevin Strootman (PSV), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Michel Vorm (Swansea City), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax) en Jetro Willems (PSV).

EC program:

June 9: Ned - Den

June 13: Ned - Ger

June 17: Por - Ned

FC Barcelona’s Liga 2011/12 season comes to an end in Seville tonight against Real Betis. Already confirmed as runners-up in the competition, much of the attention has already shifted to the Copa del Rey Final on May 25 against impressive Europa League finalists Athletic Bilbao, a team that also has nothing to play for on the final day of Spanish League action. For Guardiola, what matters most about today’s fixture is the fact that it the last run-out for his players before the showdown at the Vicente Calderón.

Starting 11:  Valdés, Alves, Piqué, Xavi, Messi, Mascherano, Keita, Sergio, Pedro, Afellay y Adriano

12.05.2012

The 36-strong group of players and staff will be reduced to 27 players before Thursday, May 17 when they travel to Switzerland for the remainder of the preparation for the European Championship. The final group of twenty field players and three goalkeepers must be handed in to UEFA on Tuesday, May 29, 12:00.

Bert van Marwijk is very positive about the return of Afellay saying:

One of the reasons that this group is so big is due to the fact that there are some doubts regarding some players, not only Afellay but Mathijsen and Stekelenburg are injured, Boulahrouz just came back from an injury. A lot can happen and I hope that Ibi will get some minutes at Barcelona.

These 36 players will join the training on the 14th and 15th because a lot of players will be missing due to competitions that are still going on with their club.

When asked if Van Marwijk is concerned with getting his team back to the South-Africa level of two years ago seeing all these injuries, absent players, and if he’d consider adding more players to the selection he says:

That’s not the point after I’ve selected these 36. I’m assuming Ibi will stay fit and get some minutes, Arjen Robben is fit and every other player that I’ve selected for the positions in the front are all fit and I hope that hey stay fit and maintain their form.

Full preliminary list:

Ibrahim Afellay (FC Barcelona), Vurnon Anita (Ajax), Mark van Bommel (AC Milan), Khalid Boulahrouz (VfB Stuttgart), Wilfred Bouma (PSV), Jasper Cillessen (Ajax), Urby Emanuelson (AC Milan), John Heitinga (Everton), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04), Ola John (FC Twente), Luuk de Jong (FC Twente), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Siem de Jong (Ajax), Tim Krul (Newcastle United), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Jeremain Lens (PSV), Hedwiges Maduro (Valencia), Adam Maher (AZ), Joris Mathijsen (Málaga), Erwin Mulder (Feyenoord), Luciano Narsingh (sc Heerenveen), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Erik Pieters (PSV) Alexander Büttner (Vitesse), Arjen Robben (Bayern München), Stijn Schaars (Sporting Portugal), Wesley Sneijder (Internazionale), Maarten Stekelenburg (AS Roma), Kevin Strootman (PSV), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur), Nick Viergever (AZ), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Michel Vorm (Swansea City), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV), Jetro Willems (PSV).

Afellay is in the swaud for tonight’s game. Although on the bench, he may be able to make his first minutes since his injury last year.

Starting line-up: Pinto, Montoya, Puyol, Mascherano, Adriano, Sergio, Thiago, Keita, Pedro, Alexis y Messi

Bench: Valdés, Alves, Iniesta, Bartra, Tello, Cesc y Afellay.