PSV lost its UEFA Champions League match against Club Brugge at home (1-2). Although head coach Peter Bosz ’s team played well, capitalizing on scoring opportunities remained an area for improvement. Sven Mijnans was also frustrated by the missed chances: “I should have put that one in the back of the net, too.”
PETER BOSZ
How do you look back on the match?
“We failed to capitalize on a large number of chances and didn’t organize our defense well, particularly on the second goal we conceded. That’s a textbook example of residual defense. You have to organize that the moment you have the ball, not only after you lose it. We’re making progress in that area, but it’s still not good enough.”
What do you think needs to improve after this match?
“We need to reduce the number of chances we give away to zero. I thought we were the better team for large stretches of the match today. We had the game well under control, applied high pressure, and regained possession quickly. But the chances we create need to go in.”
Was it a tactical chess match until the moment Club Brugge scored the 2-1 goal?
“It was a match with an incredible amount of running and sprinting. Club Brugge frequently had to clear the ball in the second half, while we pushed them back fora long time and created chances. The 2-1 goal actually came out of nowhere. After that, the game turned on its head.”
How do you look back on Dest’s performance?
“He got a big opportunity early on. In practice, shots like that often go in; now he just needs to do that in the game as well. Other than that, I thought he played a good game. In the tactical battle, he was able to create danger with his speed and creativity. What we had with Forbs, they had with Dest.”
Four matches, only three goals scored. How do you explain that?
“Going into this match, we’d also conceded only two goals in the UEFA Champions League. I think we could have scored more against both FC Porto and RB Leipzig. We created plenty of chances today as well. It’s sometimes hard to explain why they don’t go in. The guys gave it their all, and I can’t fault them for that.”
SVEN MIJNANS
How did you experience this evening?
“It was a frustrating evening. Of course, we would have loved to walk off the field feeling differently; we should have scored more goals and faced a lot of counterattacks. I should have put that one in the back of the net, too.”
What did you guys talk about as a team during halftime?
“We talked about staying focused and continuing to execute our tasks for the full ninety minutes. Matches in the UEFA Champions League are decided by small details.”
What went wrong?
“We applied high pressure in the second half, and for a long time, everything was going well. We were able to launch new attacks quickly and create chances time and again. At the same time, we need to keep a close eye on our defensive cover. That wasn’t handled well enough on the 2-1 goal.”
Does your playing style affect the chances you give away?
“More space opens up, making the field of play larger. But if we’re well-organized, can sustain that for ninety minutes, and keep putting pressure on their attack, we can play very dominantly. We showed that throughout the entire second half. It’s just that a single moment can ultimately cost you the game.”
How difficult will it be to reach the next round?
“We know there’s still more than enough potential, and we’ll do everything we can to achieve it. There are still enough games on the schedule for us all to keep our eyes on the right path.”
How are you going to process this disappointment?
“Tomorrow we’ll analyze and discuss the game together. After that, we need to put it behind us and look ahead as a team. SC Cambuur is already waiting.”