Freiburg keeper Mark Flekken will keep goal for the Netherlands against the DFB team on Tuesday. Bonds coach Louis van Gaal confirmed this after the win against Denmark and also had words of praise for the 28-year-old.
After his convincing performances for SC Freiburg, the goalkeeper will now have the chance to prove himself against the DFB team in Amsterdam on Tuesday. And: He could meet his teammates Nico Schlotterbeck and Christian Günter at the same time.
This is Flekken’s second appearance in the Netherlands kit. He made his debut on Saturday in the 4-2 win over Denmark and was in the spotlight when the first goal was conceded. Although he also benefited from the absence of the actual number one Justin Bijlow, he wrote on Instagram of a “dream that became reality”. Coach van Gaal recognised that the keeper “could have done a bit more” on the first goal against when he hesitated in running out of his own box. Flekken was again helpless for the second Danish goal: returnee Eriksen, for whom it was a very emotional goal on his comeback, blasted the ball unstoppably into the left-hand corner.
After the game, van Gaal came to the defence of the Freiburg goalkeeper, instead highlighting the build-up play, which “we need to use a lot more. I think it’s a plus that he can open up the game, which allows us to keep playing football – Edwin van der Sar was like that too,” the Bonds coach gave the goalkeeper high praise, comparing him to a Dutch goalkeeping legend. Flekken can then confirm those words on Tuesday against Germany.
