Soccer-PSV seek to put domestic disappointment behind them in Champions League

AFC Ajax NV

04/11/2024 15:32

Nov 4 (Reuters) - Dutch club PSV Eindhoven want to use
Tuesday's Champions League clash against Girona as a chance to
bounce back after losing their 100% record in domestic football
when they lost to archrivals Ajax Amsterdam on Saturday.
    PSV still lead the Eredivisie by 15 points from second
placed Ajax but after winning 10 games on the trot, let a 2-1
lead slip and went down 3-2 in Amsterdam.
    "Everyone who has played football has lost at some point,"
said coach Peter Bosz on Monday ahead of the home match against
Girona.
    "You go home with a bad feeling and wake up the next day
with a bad feeling. But then you also know that the next match
is coming up."
    Switching from losing a key domestic clash to playing in
European club competition only days later was no problem,
however, he said.
    "We are used to it. When you play in Europe, there are two
or three days in between. It is like that almost every week, so
as a player or as a coach you have to learn to move on from your
disappointment quickly. We discuss the game afterwards and then
we draw a line under it and move on to the next one."
    Girona have already taken on PSV’s domestic rivals Feyenoord
in the new-look Champions League this season, losing at home to
the Rotterdam club at the start of last month. 
    "A team that wants to dominate opponents," Bosz said of
their Spanish opponents.
    "Also against Feyenoord, more possession, 11 corners to
Feyenoord’s zero. They want to build from the back, play real
football.
    "They did a great job in Spain last year. If you finish
third there, that's something very special. You need a lot of
quality, otherwise you won't last a season. This year they're
having a bit more trouble, also because of the extra matches in
the Champions League."
    PSV have yet to win in the group phase this season and if
they are to reach the next round need to start picking up more
points.
    "I'm not looking that far ahead. What needs to happen is
that we win tomorrow. For the rest, it's all new to me too, and
too early to draw conclusions," added Bosz.
    "We have two points from three tough games. Now come the
games, especially the home games, that we have to win."

 (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Christian
Radnedge)
 ((mark.gleeson@thomsonreuters.com; +27828257807; Reuters
Messaging: mark.gleeson.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))