PSV did excellent business on Thursday evening in the battle for the next round in the Europa League. The team of trainer Roger Schmidt won 2-0 at home against Sturm Graz and saw competitor Real Sociedad lose 2-1 to AS Monaco, giving the Eindhoven team participation in the next round of the second European club tournament in their own hands. “Now we have a final in San Sebastián. A draw or a win and then we are through to the knockout round,” said Schmidt afterwards.
“That would be excellent in this tough group. Perhaps the toughest group of all. Today we did what we had to do and it’s up to us to take that last step.” PSV have a two-point lead over Real Sociedad, so only a defeat in the Basque Country would mean missing out on the next round. Thanks to a better mutual result with PSV, AS Monaco is already certain of group victory and the eighth finals.
“We were sovereign, we controlled the game. It took a while before we created chances, because they played very compact and didn’t want to take any risks. But we were patient and created chances. We took advantage of that and created more chances in the second half. In the end we scored twice and deserved to win. I am very satisfied.”
The defensive problems, which the Eindhoven team faced before the international match, seem to be a thing of the past. “If you don’t give away chances in these kinds of games, it’s a tactical quality,” continued Schmidt. “I think we’ve done well. We were focused and concentrated and we were last week. We are stable in our performance.”
Before the game, there was a curious moment when the referee warned André Ramalho and Carlos Vinícius, because he had seen the first head-to-head in Austria and was not pleased with the unsportsmanlike play and especially the elbows. “Especially you, with your elbows. I don’t like that,” Pawel Raczkowski addressed the attacker. Schmidt had no problem with those comments. “I really appreciate that, because then everyone knows where they stand. That’s smart,” the German laughed. “I didn’t see an elbow today, so maybe he got what he wanted.”
“The referee has done his homework. As a player you at least know where you stand,” Mario Been responded to ESPN at the moment in the players tunnel. Pierre van Hooijdonk agreed. “Yes, if he tells in advance. I think there are also enough referees who watch the matches, but only intervene when they see a recognizable moment.”