PSV Women resume the Eurojackpot Women's Eredivisie on Sunday afternoon after the international period, during which several players were active on the international stage. AZ, the current number six in the league, will then travel to Stadion De Herdgang for the third official meeting between the two teams. Riola Xhemaili looks forward to the resumption of the league and looks ahead to the game with the Alkmaar players.
PSV Women won the last two home matches against AZ. With a goal difference of nine for and two against in two matches, it promises to be a match with many goals. In October 2023, PSV Women won 5-1 and in November 2024, the team won 4-1. One of the players who is in form is Riola Xhemaili. The Swiss striker already has her goal counter at eight in as many matches (including European matches), seven of which are in the league.
Interland period
"The interland period was fun," Riola says with a smile. "We played two games with Switzerland and won them both, so that always gives a good feeling. For me, it's not that I come back extra motivated, because I'm actually always motivated. I feel very comfortable and safe here at PSV, it really feels like home. But when I go to Switzerland, of course I also get new energy, I see my friends, my family, and I play in front of my own crowd. That also feels like home. Actually, I take the positive energy of PSV with me to Switzerland, and I come back with that same energy."
In blood form, but without pressure
Riola is in excellent form with eight goals. Yet she tries not to dwell on that too much herself. "To be honest, I don't think that much about scoring goals," she says. "It's very nice, of course, but I didn't even know there were eight already. I don't put pressure on myself to score. It comes naturally, in a natural way. For me, it's about having fun and helping the team. If that's with a goal, great, but if that's by working hard and running spaces for another, I'm just as happy."
Looking ahead to AZ
Next Sunday awaits AZ, a team performing strongly this season. "AZ is a difficult team to play against," Riola said. "They are good at the back. In the last game against them we won narrowly (0-1 victory in an away game against AZ). They are doing well and it will definitely be a tough match. Former PSV player Shanique Dessing also plays there now, and I think she has a lot of qualities that help her team. We have to keep faith in our own qualities and make sure we let them speak for themselves. Also, AZ has a good attack, they shoot a lot and score regularly. So we have to be careful not to get goals against too quickly or too easily."
Old friend
Next Sunday the PSV Women will meet an old friend in Shanique. The attacker played from 2022 to mid-2025 at PSV Women, where she managed to score six times. Since this season, the 24-year-old attacker has played for AZ. So Sunday's game also means a reunion with her former teammates at PSV Campus De Herdgang.