Koeman 'would like a final against Spain'

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said on Saturday after qualifying for the semi-finals of Euro 2024 with a 2-1 win over Turkey that he would like to play Spain in the final, having already played France in the group stage, but warned that now is not the time to think about it.

"It's too early for that question, first we have to prepare well for the semi-final which will be a night between two great nations. But I would like a final against Spain because we played France in the group stage," Koeman told the press conference after the game.

For him, his country should be proud to be back in a European semi-final after 20 years (the previous one was in 2004). "We are a small country and we are in the semi-finals alongside England, France and Spain. It's a big deal. We had to give everything. We had to suffer but we showed a big heart that some critics say we don't have," he added.

Koeman analysed the problems his team had in the first half which, he said, started after 20 minutes. "We had started well, we had a good chance with Memphis Depay at the beginning. Then we lost the ball, we didn't find space and we had to change something," he said.

In the second half, he added, the team improved, got more crosses into the box and the comeback. "We fought, we ran, against a difficult opponent with great intensity. It was a very emotional game," he said.