The Netherlands would have preferred a shorter interval between their final group match and the European Championship round of 16 encounter with Romania on Tuesday, but coach Ronald Koeman noted that the extended break allowed them to address issues within the team. The Dutch last played on Tuesday in Berlin, where they suffered a 3-2 defeat to Austria, finishing third in Group D but still qualifying for the knockout stages.

"It's been a lengthy week. Seven days is quite a gap between matches at a tournament of this caliber," Koeman stated at a press conference. "We've had ample time to review and analyze our match against Austria and identify where we went wrong. We didn't maintain a tight enough formation, which sometimes made us appear less aggressive."

The team engaged in lengthy discussions and thorough critiques following their performance. "Players and staff were candid with each other. After that, we move forward and seek a response in training. Everyone understands that improvements can and should be made, and now we look forward to demonstrating that tomorrow."

Koeman's choices for the midfield lineup are highly anticipated, with potential changes on the horizon, though he remained tight-lipped with the media. However, he emphasized the need for a more cohesive lineup, improved aggression, and better communication. "And our creative players must be able to make a significant impact," he added.

Injuries to pivotal midfielders such as Frenkie de Jong, Marten de Roon, and Teun Koopmeiners have posed challenges for Koeman in finding the optimal midfield combination. "It's a complex situation, and I prefer not to dwell on who is absent. This is the squad we have, and we need to enhance our performance, not just in midfield but also in the communication between the center backs and midfielders."

Koeman expressed that the Dutch team is highly motivated for the match at the Munich Football Arena, where they are expected to be the favorites despite their underwhelming performance at Euro 2024 thus far. "We are a proud nation. We relish winning and playing attractive football, although that doesn't always materialize. We accept the criticism... no issue... and we aim to turn it around tomorrow and delight our fans with the outcome."

"We take Romania very seriously; we understand what to anticipate and we must improve compared to our last match."