PSV seek to put domestic disappointment behind them in Champions League

Dutch club PSV Eindhoven want to use Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Girona as a chance to bounce back after losing their 100 per cent record in domestic football when they lost to archrivals Ajax Amsterdam on Saturday.
PSV still lead the Eredivisie by 15 points from second placed Ajax but after winning 10 games on the trot, let a 2-1 lead slip and went down 3-2 in Amsterdam.
“Everyone who has played football has lost at some point,” said coach Peter Bosz on Monday ahead of the home match against Girona.
“You go home with a bad feeling and wake up the next day with a bad feeling. But then you also know that the next match is coming up.”
Switching from losing a key domestic clash to playing in European club competition only days later was no problem, however, he said.
“We are used to it. When you play in Europe, there are two or three days in between. It is like that almost every week, so as a player or as a coach you have to learn to move on from your disappointment quickly. We discuss the game afterwards and then we draw a line under it and move on to the next one.”
Girona have already taken on PSV’s domestic rivals Feyenoord in the new-look Champions League this season, losing at home to the Rotterdam club at the start of last month.
“A team that wants to dominate opponents,” Bosz said of their Spanish opponents.
“Also against Feyenoord, more possession, 11 corners to Feyenoord’s zero. They want to build from the back, play real football.
“They did a great job in Spain last year. If you finish third there, that’s something very special. You need a lot of quality, otherwise you won’t last a season. This year they’re having a bit more trouble, also because of the extra matches in the Champions League.”
PSV have yet to win in the group phase this season and if they are to reach the next round need to start picking up more points.
“I’m not looking that far ahead. What needs to happen is that we win tomorrow. For the rest, it’s all new to me too, and too early to draw conclusions,” added Bosz.
“We have two points from three tough games. Now come the games, especially the home games, that we have to win.”

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Christian Radnedge)