Roger Schmidt does not intend to give some of his players a rest when he takes on Ajax on Saturday evening with PSV in the battle for the Johan Cruijff Scale. With this, the PSV trainer responded to statements made earlier by Ronald Waterreus, who was at the on Friday Skiete Willy Podcast by Football International indicated that he would find it excessive if Schmidt would spare his players.
“I think that is very exaggerated so early in the year,” Waterreus said on Thursday when asked whether Schmidt should save his players in the run-up to the second meeting with FC Midtjylland in the Champions League. “You do play against Ajax, don’t you. Do you know what that is with the Johan Cruijff Scale? That is not much, but you have the feeling that this can be a tipping point. If you win, you do realize that it is possible That doesn’t mean you always win.” Waterreus has played for the Johan Cruijff Scale six times in the past and has won five. This means that the former goalkeeper is still the PSV player with the most duels to his name when it comes to the Johan Cruijff Scale.
“Last year Ajax was happy with a point twice in the competition”, Waterreus continued. “If you had won one of that match, it gave a completely different feeling. If you can hand out a tap on Saturday, it will have been handed out. And they have been warned. Believe that they have watched the past matches,” Waterreus referred to. encounters in the Champions League against Galatasaray and FC Midtjylland. Schmidt’s team has so far made a strong impression in the run-up to the meeting with Ajax and managed to win all matches in the Champions League.
During the press conference on Friday afternoon, Schmidt responded to the advice of Waterreus to take on the strongest eleven. “That’s wise advice,” said Schmidt. “I will never play with a team that I know is not the best team for that match. But you know that we are now at the end of the preparation. The match against Ajax is an important match for us and we want it would like to win the prize. Of course we will see what the best team is to start with, but we can switch five times. It is not always the case that your starting eleven decides the end result. Each match requires its own approach and based on that we make a plan.”
Schmidt confirms during the press conference that the focus is completely on winning the Johan Cruijff Scale. “It is not the case that qualification for the Champions League is more important than winning this prize,” says the German coach. “The next game is always the most important. This is a final, we want to win it too. It will be a difficult game, but we showed last season that we are able to resist well. We will do that this time.” have to show again.”