Luciano Valente is perhaps the standout omission from head coach Xavi Hernández's first Netherlands squad. The Feyenoord captain has started the season superbly, but he was left out for the Netherlands' upcoming Nations League matches. Valentijn Driessen knows why.
"Valente, like Zechiël, is an attacking midfielder, but he could end up being the one who misses out," Driessen says in De Telegraaf's Kick-off podcast. "Because he fits in very well on the left flank at Feyenoord, but Xavi sees him as an attacking midfielder."
Speaking at Monday's press conference in Zeist, Xavi explained: "I would actually rather not go into individual players, but yes, we are following Valente. He is a good, potential player for us. The door to the Netherlands is open for him too. It's just that we already have a lot of very good midfielders. I really see him as an attacking midfielder and not as a left winger."
Verweij then adds: "I was also rather surprised that Valente was disappointed not to be included. But that is of course also partly because of how things are going for him at Feyenoord right now. Xavi rightly said: I see him as a midfielder, not as a left winger."
In the wake of Feyenoord's 5-0 win over FC Utrecht, Valente made it clear in front of the ESPN cameras that he was disappointed by the head coach's decision. "Of course you are disappointed. Deep down I had hoped a little that I would be included, but I have to do my talking with my feet, and I did that today."
Driessen then spells out the problem. "This is definitely an issue. For Valente, this is going to be an issue. Van Bronckhorst has no intention of putting him in midfield, and that simply makes his chances of being selected for the Netherlands national team a lot smaller." Verweij is even more adamant: "As long as Valente plays in that position, he will not be selected."
When Donyell Malen and Justin Kluivert dropped out, Valente may briefly have had hope, but Xavi instead called up Mexx Meerdink and Guus Til as replacements. Driessen sees the logic. "Kluivert is also someone who plays in behind, gets into goalscoring positions and scores goals. Til can do that as well, of course. That is why he called up Til, and not Valente," the football editor concludes.