Roger Schmidt has won his first prize with PSV after a disappointing first season. With Noni Madueke in a leading role, the coach saw his team walk over Ajax on Saturday in the Johan Cruijff ArenA and win the Johan Cruijff Scale: 0-4. “We are now much further than in the entire previous season,” the German agreed. “We are doing much better tactically and I also see a great will to win.”
“We also make a very fit impression. Last season, some new players came to us just before the transfer window closed. Now we have our affairs in order quickly.” Madueke made the first two goals against Ajax and is in shape early in the season. The nineteen-year-old Englishman also scored in the return against Galatasaray (1-2 win) and in the first match against FC Midtjylland (3-0).
Ajax’s worst player after Nicolás Tagliafico gets a 4.5
Voetbalzone handed out report figures to the players of Ajax and PSV.
Schmidt is not afraid that Madueke will leave for a top club in the Premier League this month. “He is developing very well. It is good for him and for PSV that he stays. Maybe he can make a lot of money now. But I think he will be worth even more in two years,” emphasized the trainer. Madueke himself is not concerned with a transfer. “My focus is now on PSV. We want to qualify for the Champions League.”
Schmidt does not rule out the possibility that a few new players will come to Eindhoven. “But it’s also not like we sent out a huge signal. We won 0-4 at their house. But Ajax also played more than a half with ten men. We also played well against Ajax last season. But we have let it go in the other games.”
“Maybe this was one of my best matches,” Madueke said of his performance. “I’m glad I could make a difference, but we just did well as a collective.” At the 0-1 he went in at speed at Nicolás Tagliafico and Lisandro Martínez, but at the second goal he showed that he can also pass from the outside. “I try to go both outside and inside. When I’m on the ball, defenders have to guess which way I’m going.”