Sometimes in football you need a little bit of luck and someone else to suffer some misfortune and that’s exactly what’s happened to Ian Maatsen.
The 22-year-old endured a difficult first half of the campaign having impressed in pre-season and only started one Premier League game for the Blues.
Maatsen was expected to be sold in January, but instead extended his contract and had a £35m release clause inserted before joining Borussia Dortmund on loan.
The Dutchman shone in Germany and quickly established himself as an important member of the team, playing a key role in Dortmund’s surprise run to the Champions League.
Unfortunately for Maatsen it wasn’t to be and his misplaced pass led to Real Madrid’s second goal and consigned Dortmund to defeat at Wembley.
Things didn’t get better for Maatsen as he was cut from Ronald Koeman’s provisional squad for Euro 2024 despite his impressive form, and the defender was set for a summer off.
However, an injury suffered by Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong has seen Koeman add Maatsen to the squad he arguably should have been named in originally.
One players misfortune is another players opportunity and that is exactly the case for Maatsen here and no less than he deserves given his strong second half of the season.
🦁 Ian Maatsen will join Oranje's training camp in Wolfsburg later today.
See you soon, Ian! 👊#NothingLikeOranje pic.twitter.com/K129NaIgIz
— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) June 11, 2024
