PSV’s line-up for the Champions League play-off match against Benfica has been announced. Roger Schmidt cannot have Nick Viergever in Lisbon. The defender expects to become a father soon and has stayed behind in Eindhoven. Furthermore, the German coach has a complete team, apart from the long absences, after he saved a large part of the base last weekend. The match between PSV and Benfica starts on Wednesday evening at 9 p.m. in the Estádio da Luz, which is filled with 20,000 fans.
Schmidt decided on Saturday to save a large part of his basic team during the season overture against Heracles Almelo. Joël Drommel, Marco van Ginkel, Eran Zahavi, Philipp Max, Cody Gakpo and Mario Götze all took place on the bench. It did not cause the Eindhoven team to get into trouble, as a simple 0-2 victory was booked by hits from Bruma and Noni Madueke. The former also scored as a substitute in the previous match against FC Midtjylland, but still starts on the bench. Madueke is in top form and has found the net five times in the last five matches for PSV.
PSV does not only impress in an attacking sense. Defensively, it is also solid with Schmidt’s team. PSV managed to keep a clean sheet in the last four matches. In the right back position at PSV, Jordan Teze makes way for Phillipp Mwene. During the closing press conference on Tuesday, Schmidt extensively reflected on the strength of the Portuguese opponent. “Benfica is a very good team, with a lot of individual qualities on board,” said Schmidt. “They almost always find a solution in possession. We have to keep them off goal and defend well as a team. We are ready for that and want to reach the group stage of the Champions League, after good preparation.”
If PSV succeed in shaking off Benfica in two matches, it will assure itself of a substantial financial injection. Due to the place in the play-offs of the largest UEFA club tournament, PSV is already at least assured of participation in the group stage of the Europa League and a premium of five million euros. The club is of course going for a place in the main tournament of the Champions League. This yields an amount of around 35 million euros, of which 15.56 million euros as a starting premium and other income from receipts and premiums.
Line-up Benfica: Vlachodimos; Lucas Verissimo, Otamendi, Morato; Diogo Goncalves, Joao Mario, Weigl, Grimaldo; Pizzi, Rafa Silva, Yaremchuk.
PSV line-up: drum; Mwene, Ramalho, Boscagli, Max; Sangare, Van Ginkel; Madueke, Gotze, Gakpo; Zahavi.