Netherlands vs Greece & Germany: The Road to the Quarter-Finals

What Oranje need to reach the Nations League last eight

Netherlands are top of Nations League Group A2 ahead of Greece and Germany. Flashscore breaks down what they need against Greece and Germany to qualify.

Can the Netherlands reach the Nations League quarter-finals? We explain all the permutations after Greece, Germany and Serbia results...

Oranje need just one win to book their place in the last eight. Full breakdown of the Netherlands' qualification scenarios.

 

From beating Greece to surviving in Berlin, here is exactly how the Netherlands can qualify for the Nations League quarter-finals...

Two matchdays left in the UEFA Nations League group phase, and Xavi's Netherlands are sitting pretty. Flashscore looks at exactly what Oranje need to seal a place in the last eight.

Nobody was shocked when Ronald Koeman walked away in July. The Netherlands had just limped through a miserable World Cup, dumped out in the last 32 by Morocco yet another summer ending in Dutch heartbreak.

Few saw it coming when Xavi was unveiled as the new head coach. The Catalan legend became the first foreign boss to lead the Netherlands since the 1970s, and wasted no time stamping his authority on the squad.

The impact has been instant. Oranje sit top of Group A2 in the UEFA Nations League, ahead of Greece, Germany and Serbia. With two rounds left to play, what will it take for the Dutch to reach the quarter-finals? Mon Diaries has the answers.

Current standings in Nations League Group A2

Matchday 5

Friday, November 13th: The Netherlands - Greece (20.45 CEST)

Friday, November 13th: Serbia - Germany (20.45 CEST)

The final international break of the year opens with a huge one for the Netherlands, as closest challengers Greece visit Amsterdam. The two sides are locked on points, with Oranje ahead only on goals scored after their 2-2 draw in Thessaloniki left them level on head-to-head.

Elsewhere, Germany three points off the top two head to Serbia. The Serbs are on the verge of dropping down, with a draw enough to send them back to League B. Germany are expected to win there, which only ramps up the pressure on the showdown in Amsterdam.

With the top two in the group going through to the quarter-finals, the Netherlands can punch their ticket in these scenarios:

What Oranje need to go through

• Netherlands beat Greece
• Netherlands draw with Greece and Serbia beat Germany

A win over Greece would send the Netherlands straight through to the quarter-finals. It would put Oranje out of Greece's reach on head-to-head, and with Serbia already too far behind, a top-two finish would be locked in.

If the Netherlands draw with Greece, they would then be relying on Germany slipping up in Belgrade. A Serbia win would leave both the Dutch and the Greeks four points clear of Germany with one game to play.

If Oranje draw with Greece and Germany beat Serbia

The Netherlands would not be through just yet.

The Dutch and Greece would both sit on 9 points, with Germany just one point behind on 8. That would turn matchday 6 into a winner-takes-all night, with even more riding on the Netherlands' trip to Germany. The Dutch would still go through in these scenarios:

• Netherlands beat Germany
• Netherlands draw with Germany
• Germany beat Netherlands, but Serbia beat Greece

Even a point in Germany would be enough to seal a quarter-final place. The Netherlands would move to 10 points and stay ahead of Germany. Greece could still overtake them by beating Serbia to top the group, but Oranje would hold onto second.

Greece would have already booked their quarter-final spot, which would make getting a result in Berlin absolutely vital. The Netherlands would still go through in these scenarios:

• Netherlands beat Germany
• Netherlands draw with Germany

Losing in Berlin is simply not an option. A defeat would let Germany jump above the Netherlands into second, dropping Oranje to third. They would then be left hoping eight points is enough to dodge the relegation play-offs, by finishing as one of the two best third-placed teams in League A.

Defeat to Greece, stalemate in Belgrade — what happens next?

Greece would already be through to the quarter-finals, which turns the trip to Berlin into a must-not-lose game for Oranje. The Dutch can still qualify if:

• They beat Germany
• They draw with Germany

A loss in Berlin would be fatal. Germany would overtake the Netherlands for second place, leaving Oranje down in third. From there, they would need their eight points to be enough to stay out of the relegation play-offs, by ending up among the two best third-placed sides in League A.