‘He has an idea of how I should play in my position’: Borussia Dortmund midfielder Joey Veerman looking to learn from former Barcelona midfielder Xavi
· Yahoo Sports
Joey Veerman is back in the Netherlands national team and enjoying himself. Having been overlooked by Ronald Koeman for a few years, the now Borussia Dortmund midfielder has been recalled by former Barcelona midfielder Xavi. Veerman was impressive in the Netherlands 2-1 win over Serbia, a first victory for Xavi since taking over as head coach. This followed a 1-1 draw with Germany, so a decent start for the former Barcelona midfielder and head coach.
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Of course, being a fellow midfielder, there are expectations that Veerman can learn from Xavi. This is something he confirmed to ESPN after the match. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder said ‘He has an idea of how I should play in my position, so it helps that he has played in that position as well‘. Veerman was then quick to play down any comparisons between himself and Xavi.
After a number of strong seasons in the Eredivisie with PSV, Veerman finally left Dutch football this summer to join Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. He left having played 198 games for PSV, with 31 goals and over 50 assists. During his time in Eindhoven, Veerman also won three Eredivisie titles, two KNVB Cups and three Super Cups. Since joining Borussia Dortmund, he has played seven games with one assist. His two appearances under Xavi means he now has 18 caps for the Dutch national team.