Netherlands forward Noa Lang will miss Friday’s friendly against Norway due to hand surgery, but could return for Ecuador match next week.

Netherlands attacker Noa Lang will miss Friday’s friendly against Norway after undergoing surgery on his hand. The 26-year-old suffered a deep cut to his right thumb during Galatasaray’s Champions League match against Liverpool at Anfield last Wednesday.

Lang’s hand was trapped between two advertising boards in a freak accident, and he was operated on at an English hospital. The Dutch football association confirmed his absence for Friday’s match in Amsterdam.

However, Dutch medical staff expect Lang to be available for the friendly against Ecuador in Eindhoven next week. This is a relief for the Netherlands team, which already has a long list of injuries.

🚨 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟: The Netherlands squad list! 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/C69lTKq9pM

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Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt, Memphis Depay, Emmanuel Emegha, Justin Kluivert, and back-up goalkeeper Robin Roefs are all unavailable this month, making Lang’s potential return crucial for the team’s World Cup preparations.

Lang took to Instagram to share an update on his condition, adding that the “Operation was a success! Thanks for all your messages”