Xavi Simons is not boycotting the Dutch press, assures Arno Vermeulen. The attacking midfielder is indeed open to interviews with Dutch media, the commentator claimed NOS Sunday evening at Studio Voetbal.
Simons recently declined an interview with RTL7 after a Champions League match between Real Madrid and RB Leipzig. Simons also did not appear in front of the cameras during the international matches of the Dutch national team. He would feel unfairly treated by the Dutch press, ESPN journalist Pascal Kamperman explained.
Xavi Simons does talk to Dutch media
According to Vermeulen, the fork is different. “After an RB Leipzig Champions League match, he did not speak to RTL, and that is not very nice. Afterwards there was a confusion of tongues ESPN. Then it was said in another ESPN program that Simons had declared a real press boycott and that he would not want to talk to the press around the Dutch team. That is not true.”
“The NOS broadcasts matches of the Dutch national team and we had not asked him anything in recent matches, because we saw no reason for it. The KNVB confirms that – if we had wanted – we could have simply spoken to Simons. So this is actually a misunderstanding.”
Also read: Hartman sustains a serious injury and misses the European Championship with the Dutch team
“It can no longer be stopped via the cut and paste sites that we all know. But it is not true,” Vermeulen emphasized. Simons was criticized in the past international match for his many losses of the ball in the friendly match against Scotland. National coach Ronald Koeman acknowledged that the talent, who has not yet scored or provided an assist in thirteen international matches, will have to improve.
