PSV achieved a draw at AS Monaco on Tuesday. For a while, a victory seemed to be a possibility, but with the increased fatigue in the legs, the Eindhoven team were ultimately not dissatisfied with a draw. With that result, PSV has acquired a reasonable starting position for next week’s return in the Philips Stadium, in which qualification for the play-offs of the Champions League is at stake.
Luuk de Jong was in front of the camera of ESPN realistic. “We had a hard time coming out, I think. We were a bit sloppy on the ball ourselves. Passes that came behind the man were intercepted and then you don’t get into your own game well. We came out well a few times, once very good, and then you make that goal fortunately.” The PSV captain saw that it will have to be better in the return. “In the second half we did not come up with very good attacks. One chance from Guus Til who just couldn’t reach the ball, that was a shame. In the second part of the second half they put quite a bit of pressure and we also had trouble with that Then the 1-1 also fell.”
The PSV captain acknowledges that his team was tired, but does not want to hide behind it. “We have to be fit enough for that. It was very stuffy today, but I don’t want to look for excuses. It was mainly because we were not clear enough on the ball ourselves, which made the game tough and mainly went up and down. It was very tough and you noticed that in everyone. Then I think you can be satisfied with a 1-1 in the end.”
Trainer Ruud van Nistelrooij praised PSV’s team performance. “We started as one team and finished as one. We take home a decent result. Next week in the home game it’s game on. I thought the guys who came in gave the team more air. The guys those who had to leave were just gone. You know that from the players who came in later. The substitutes supported the team well. Seen from a real football point of view, that was difficult, maybe a few sporadic moments, but all in all I’m proud of this team, seeing how deep they went in the second half.”