Xavi picks van den Berg to cover Van Dijk's absence

Xavi calls up Brentford defender Sepp van den Berg to replace injured captain Virgil van Dijk for Nations League matches against Greece and Germany.

Netherlands manager Xavi Hernández has named Brentford centre-back Sepp van den Berg as a replacement for injured captain Virgil van Dijk ahead of crucial Nations League fixtures. Van Dijk's absence was announced by the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) on Monday, along with the withdrawal of striker Brian Brobbey.

Van den Berg, 24, receives his first senior call-up to the Netherlands squad. The Brentford defender joins a squad already missing Nathan Aké, Jeremie Frimpong, Ryan Gravenberch and Jorrel Hato through injury.

The Netherlands lead Group A2 with eight points from four matches under Xavi's management. They host Greece on Friday in Amsterdam before travelling to Germany in Berlin on Monday, with both teams level on points. A win against Greece would secure a quarter-final spot without waiting for the final group game.