For PSV, the hunt for its third title in succession begins tomorrow. Against FC Utrecht, the national champions open a long premier league season, in which the championship is again the goal for PSV. Phillip Cocu looks ahead: "This season might be even more difficult than last year."
Fit selection
After two championships and two 'Super Cups' in a row, many believe PSV is championship contender number one this season. Also because Cocu hardly saw any key players leave. On Friday, his squad trained for the last time ahead of the start of the season, with everyone proving fit for the match against FC Utrecht. "Also Jetro (Willems ed.) and Héctor (Moreno ed.) have rejoined. They were able to participate fully. Everyone is fit and the group is big. When we played eleven against eleven, two players even had to be kept busy. For us as a staff it is only nice that everyone is on board," Cocu said immediately after Friday morning training at De Herdgang.
'Nobody is going to give it to us'
That means PSV can travel to Utrecht with a complete squad, the city where Cocu has never lost as coach. However, he knows better than anyone that that is no guarantee of another good result. "We have always had good results there in recent years, but that says nothing now. Utrecht away is always a difficult game. It's a good team, tactically strong, we have to have a very good day to win from them," Cocu said, warning his side about the extra 'burdens' the champion has to carry. "This season might be even more difficult than last year. No one is going to give it to us as a gift. Teams will be even more motivated, want to win from us even more. It's going to be an interesting year, we have been bombed as favorites and we have to do everything we can to live up to that."
The match, which starts at 7:45 p.m. and can be followed live on FOX Sports, via the PSV App and Twitter (@PSV) has a special touch for Phillip Cocu, by the way. On Saturday, the PSV coach will be on the bench for the 150th time as the club's head coach.