Rutten: “We feel confident we can reach the next stage”

On Wednesday afternoon, PSV head coach Fred Rutten previewed Thursday’s return leg at home to FC Sibir Novosibirsk. “We need to try and get a result here. We’re anxious to repay the PSV fans´ faith. One thing is for sure: we must score goals in order to progress to the group stage of the Europa League. We will stick to a well-organised game plan and will not restrict ourselves to kick and rush football”, explained Rutten.

One goal in mind: reach the next phase
“We just have one goal in mind: reach the Europa league group stage. However, Sibir are physically strong and will provide stubborn resistance. They prefer to play long balls in the hope that an attacking player will get them and we will have to work really hard to beat them”, said Rutten at the press conference at the Philips Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. “But following Sunday’s win over AZ, we are confident we can get through to the next round.”

Jan Kromkamp called up to the 20-man squad
Rutten will have to make do without the services of Ibrahim Afellay on Thursday night. Rutten: “But I’d rather focus on the players that are available for tomorrow night’s clash. It was a very difficult decision, as technical manager Marcel Brands explained before”. Defender Stanislav Manolev, who is suffering a minor injury, trained separately from the rest of the squad on Wednesday morning. “But he is set to start. We have called up a 20-man match squad to face FC Sibir, among whom defender Jan Kromkamp as Maza serves a suspension, while Salcido is being linked with a move abroad.” The FC Sibir manager will hold a press conference at the Philips Stadium at 18.30, before the Russians start their stadium training session in Eindhoven.