Fuente : UEFA (English)
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FIFA World Cup: Van Basten aims to beat 'big brother'

/noticias.info/ Although a friendly international, Wednesday's meeting between the Netherlands and Germany at Rotterdam's De Kuip stadium is a fixture loaded with rivalry, especially for the fans.

Big brother
"Germany are perhaps the biggest opponent we can face," admitted Netherlands coach Marco van Basten. "We always want to win against our 'big brother', it is always a challenge to beat the bigger nation."

Vital goal
Van Basten should know. He was responsible for a historic Dutch victory in Hamburg on 21 June 1988, pouncing on a Jan Wouters pass in the UEFA European Championship semi-final against hosts West Germany to score the 88th-minute winner in a 2-1 triumph.

Only present counts
However, Feyenoord striker Dirk Kuijt insisted that the coach, now 40, prefers not to speak to his players about former glories.

'Healthy' rivalry
"The big rivalry is healthy, and I am certainly in favour of making this a real derby match with lots at stake," Kuijt said. "I was really focused on that match [in 1988] in front of the television when Van Basten scored. But with him we only talk about the present and the future, because that is what it is all about."

Kuijt's a regular
Kuijt has been a regular under Van Basten during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign and the 25-year-old will probably start alongside Ruud van Nistelrooij, keeping FC Bayern München's in-form Roy Makaay on the bench.

'Luxury problem'
"With Makaay in such good shape at his club, we have a luxury problem," Van Basten acknowledged. "But Van Nistelrooij has been very important in previous matches for us, and there is no reason to change that. If a player has done well with us, he will normally stay in the team as we want continuity."

Few changes
For that reason, the coach does not envisage making many substitutions. "Some might say that goalkeeper Henk Timmer should make his debut in a match like this, but Edwin van der Sar has done well and there is no reason to substitute him.

Looking to dictate
"We will use this game to prepare for our remaining World Cup qualifiers. Although Armenia [the Netherlands' next Group 1 opponents on 3 September] are a different kind of opponent, we want to try and dictate this match as the next. Playing an attacking style can leave lots of room in defence so it could be a very attractive game against Germany."

Milestones beckon
It could also result in the Netherlands' 300th victory in 629 internationals, and might even produce their 1,300th goal. Similarities between the two coaches abound with Van Basten and Jürgen Klinsmann previously club rivals in the same city.

Many similarities
"It is not that we are friends, but we faced each other several times in AC Milan v [FC] Internazionale [Milano] derbies," Van Basten explained. "You can compare those matches with the rivalry between Holland and Germany. We are both international strikers, inexperienced as national team coaches and we both have our own style.

'Right track'
"From what I have seen of Germany, they are certainly on the right track. So are we, but we have some important qualification matches to win first."

Maduro praised
The coach hinted that there could be a debut for AZ Alkmaar left-back Tim de Cler and that AFC Ajax midfielder Hedwiges Maduro may make his first start. "As one of the key players for the Dutch Under-20s at this summer's FIFA World Youth Championship, he learnt a lot," said the coach of Maduro. "He is a serious, intelligent player who is doing very well at his club."

Living the dream
Maduro, 20, added that he is in a dream world at the moment. "It has been like living a dream so far," he told uefa.com. "After playing three matches at Ajax, I got selected for the national team last season. I just want to learn from the international experience, and use it to develop my game even more." notas_de_prensa_archivo