Marcellis resigned to PSV's destiny
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Article summary
Dirk Marcellis conceded that "it wasn't a great surprise" for PSV Eindhoven to drop into the UEFA Cup after a 1-0 home defeat by FC Internazionale Milano.
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Despite the obvious disappointment of PSV Eindhoven's 1-0 UEFA Champions League home defeat by FC Internazionale Milano on Wednesday, there was an acceptance among the Dutch title-holders that qualification from the group stage was just too big an ask this time.
No great surprise
"We knew beforehand that no matter what we did, we still might not go through, because deep down we expected Fenerbahçe [SK] to win [against PFC CSKA Moskva]," said Dirk Marcellis, PSV's 19-year-old defender. "So in that respect it wasn't a great surprise." Coach Jan Wouters all but raised the white flag when he substituted Jefferson Farfán and Ibrahim Afellay, his side's most creative forwards, midway through the second half. Wouters, nothing if not a realist, knew the Turkish champions were ahead in Istanbul, so decided to spare his players for Sunday's showdown with Eredivisie leaders AFC Ajax.
Turning point
PSV's night had already been made more problematic by a 28th-minute red card for midfielder Edison Méndez, according to striker Kenneth Perez, who was deployed as a substitute in the Group G finale. "After that, there wasn't really much we could do. Even when we had eleven men we knew it would be difficult, despite Inter missing a number of first-choice players, but with ten our chance was realistically gone."
All the way
Cristian Chivu, Inter's Romania defender, concurred. "The pattern of the game changed after the sending-off," he said. "We were playing against a team who were very motivated and had plenty to play for, but when they went a man down it became easier for us." Chivu, who had been dismissed on his previous appearance in Eindhoven as an Ajax player, was optimistic about Inter's prospects. "Last season we played very well in Serie A, but this time we are also playing well in the Champions League. I don't see why we can't think about going all the way." For the victors then, aspirations of claiming the top prize; for the losers, still plenty of perspective. "I think we have a good chance in the UEFA Cup," added Marcellis.
