Sports
Van Dijk makes World Cup promise to Van Gaal after cancer diagnosis
Virgil van Dijk has promised to make the 2022 World Cup an unforgettable one for Louis van Gaal after the Netherlands boss revealed he is suffering from prostate cancer.
On Sunday evening, the 70-year-old announced on Dutch TV show Humberto that he had been receiving treatment over the past few months but had elected to keep the news from his players during the March international break.
Van Dijk, who captains the Netherlands, only found out when he tuned in to watch Van Gaal’s interview and was stunned by the news, immediately texting his manager and pledging to make him proud in Qatar later this year.
Asked if it was a mark of the man that Van Gaal hid his diagnosis from the players during the recent international break, Van Dijk responded: ‘Yeah definitely. I was in shock last night when I heard his interview.
‘Obviously he’s getting his film out next week so I was just wondering how he would promote it a little bit and speak about his life and then obviously that was a big shock.
‘I messaged him after the interview. But it definitely says a lot about him. I said to him as well that he’s not that type of guy that needs a lot of sympathy, that’s how he is.
‘But I told him as well that we are definitely going to be there for him as a group whenever he needs it, and hopefully we can also make it for him a World Cup to never forget.’
Van Gaal is currently in his third spell as Netherlands head coach, having finished third at the 2014 World Cup before taking over at Manchester United, and is still expected to remain in charge for the tournament in Qatar.
Speaking about his diagnosis, Van Gaal told Humberto: ‘I think you don’t tell people you work with like that because it might influence their choices, their decisiveness, so I thought they shouldn’t know.
‘You don’t die from prostate cancer, at least not in ninety per cent of the cases. It is usually other underlying diseases that kill you. But I had a pretty aggressive form, got irradiated 25 times. Then you have a lot of management to do in order to go through life.
Virgil van Dijk makes World Cup promise to Louis van Gaal after cancer diagnosis
The Netherlands have returned to form under Van Gaal (Picture: Getty)
‘I did have preferential treatment in the hospital. I was allowed in through the back door when I went to an appointment and was immediately pushed into another room. I have been treated wonderfully.
‘You will of course tell your friends and relatives about it. The fact that nothing has come out yet also says something about my environment. That’s great.’
The Netherlands are in the same group as Qatar, Ecuador and Senegal, meaning Van Dijk will take on Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane on the opening day of the tournament.
On his upcoming face-off with Mane, Van Dijk added: ‘We joked that we were going to be in the same group and it happened. It’s going to be so hard, they’re obviously African champions. Opening game…I don’t know who decided 11am kick-off, but it’s going to be difficult.’
Mikel Merino scored the only goal of the game as Arsenal beat Chelsea to move 12 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Both of these sides came into the match without their first-choice striker, with Kai Havertz ruled out for the season with a hamstring injury for Arsenal and Nicolas Jackson missing for Chelsea.
Chelsea were also without their most important player in Cole Palmer, who was out of the squad with an injury, and it was the first time the Blues have to had to play without him since they lost 5-0 to Arsenal in April last season.
Arsenal, again naming Merino as a makeshift striker, dominated the game early on and Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice all went close.
Merino’s winner came in the 20th minute when he flicked on a curling corner from Martin Odegaard past a stretching Robert Sanchez.
Chelsea’s best opportunity to take something from the game came when Marc Cucurella’s powerful effort slipped through David Raya’s hands but the ball rolled just past the post.
Robert Sanchez, recently restored as Chelsea’s first-choice keeper, had some shaky moments as the Blues were put under pressure with a number of crosses into the area and he was jeered by the home crowd when he had the ball at his feet.
Sanchez produced an excellent save to deny Merino in the second half, but Chelsea could not find the goal to get something from the game.
Liverpool are not playing in the league this weekend as they are involved in the Carabao Cup final.
Tijjani Reijnders saved AC Milan’s skin in Saturday’s 2-1 win against Serie A upstarts Como, who gave Dele Alli his debut from the bench only for the former England international to be sent off moments later.
Netherlands midfielder Reijnders struck in the 76th minute after a brilliant Tammy Abraham pass as Milan came from behind to placate angry home fans and move up to seventh in Italy’s top flight.
Sergio Conceicao’s side are three points from the European places in large thanks to Reijnders who also slipped in Christian Pulisic to level the scores seven minutes after the break.
The 26-year-old also hit the bar shortly before rolling home his 13th goal of the season in all competitions, and also went close to netting again with five minutes remaining.
His performance saved his teammates from a severe barracking at the end of the match as they were loudly booed and whistled off the pitch at half-time with Milan trailing to Lucas Da Cunha’s 33rd-minute strike.
Regardless supporters continued to demand that owners, US investment firm RedBird, sell the club as they have at all recent matches.
Defeat was harsh on Como who performed well on one of football’s biggest stages and stay safely nestled in 13th place, seven points above the relegation zone.
The evening ended in the worst possible way for the lakeside club when late substitute Dele, who is trying to revive his career after a troubled few years since leaving Tottenham Hotspur, was shown a straight red card in the final minute for a rash challenge on Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Coach Cesc Fabregas also saw red for dissent shortly afterwards as Como make the short trip back from Milan with nothing from another creditable display against more illustrious opposition.
Kylian Mbappe’s brace helped Real Madrid climb top of La Liga with a 2-1 win at Villarreal on Saturday.
Los Blancos moved three points clear of rivals Barcelona, having played two extra games, with the Catalans visiting third place Atletico Madrid on Sunday in a key clash in the Spanish title race.
Madrid were unhappy the game was taking place fewer than 72 hours after their Champions League win on penalties against Atletico on Wednesday.
However despite their complaints they had enough in the tank to beat their opponents, fifth, at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti began with Vinicius Junior on the bench after the draining victory against Atletico in the last 16.
Villarreal started strongly and Thibaut Courtois got down well to his right to tip Ayoze Perez’s shot around the post.
From the resulting corner Villarreal took the lead, with the ball rebounding to Foyth, who smashed home from close range.
Ancelotti’s side hit back quickly, with Mbappe levelling after 17 minutes.
Brahim Diaz’s attempted lob was saved by Diego Conde, but the French striker dispatched the rebound with minimal fuss.
Soon Mbappe had his second, helping to spread the ball to the right and then finishing with aplomb after Lucas Vazquez found him in the middle of the box.
It was Mbappe’s 20th league goal of the season, putting him one behind the top scorer, Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski.
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