PSV and Shakhtar Donetsk were set for a first-ever UEFA Champions League meeting at Philips Stadium in Eindhoven, with Peter Bosz making it clear that the aim is simple: win every game. It is a familiar message from a coach who does not want the occasion to become bigger than the task in front of him.
The match was due to be played in front of 35,119 spectators at a ground that first opened in Eindhoven on December 12, 1910. For PSV, the backdrop was one of change, with several new additions brought in for the tournament, while Shakhtar arrived with young players hoping to force their way into the picture.
Bosz: no room for distance or excuses
Bosz did not hide behind long-term thinking before kickoff. “We simply want to win every game,” he said, adding: “We aren't talking about a distant goal. It makes no sense to mention it.”
That is a useful reminder of how elite football works at this level. The Champions League opening round can encourage caution, but Bosz was pointing in the opposite direction. He wants the focus on the next match, not on what might happen months down the line.
He also underlined that PSV are still evolving after changes to the squad. “I completely understand people wondering how we’ll compensate for the changes,” he said. “We’ll play differently.”
That matters because the expectation is not just to cope, but to improve. Bosz said PSV had been “playing better in the league these past few weeks than we were back then,” and went even further by saying: “I’d go so far as to say that this team, right now, is further along than it was at this time last year.”
Why the new faces matter
PSV’s tournament group included Ivan Perisic, Filip Kostic, Ricardo Pepi and Ruben van Bommel, names that point to both quality and variety. Bosz suggested that the changes open the door for others too, saying they “open up opportunities for others who stayed a bit more under the radar when those talented players were still here.”
That is the sort of adjustment top sides have to absorb. The personnel may change, but the requirement does not. Bosz was explicit on that point as well: “If you don’t improve, you won’t become champions for a fourth time. The same applies to the [UEFA] Champions League.”
In other words, PSV’s challenge is not simply to compete. It is to keep moving forward while the picture around them changes. That is especially true on a night like this, where a first meeting in Europe adds a layer of interest without changing the basic demand.
Shakhtar’s younger players and Turan’s message
For Shakhtar, Arda Turan spoke before the match about lessons learned from Hiddink, reflecting on a spell with the Turkish national team and one international against Belgium that finished 3-2 after a half-time turnaround in attitude. His story was simple enough: do not let the scoreline dictate panic.
He recalled Hiddink telling the team to keep playing, and said that was the lesson he carried with him: do not lose your head just because things are going against you. That is sound advice in any competition, but particularly in a Champions League match where moments can change quickly.
Shakhtar also had Gabriel Carvalho, Alisson Santana and Kauã Elias among the players trying to secure places in the squad, which adds another layer to their preparation. Youth can bring energy, but it also brings uncertainty, especially away from home.
As ever in games of this type, the first hour can tell the story. PSV have the home crowd, the new arrivals and the stronger expectation to chase the result. Shakhtar have a chance to test that momentum and see whether Bosz’s side can back up the talk about progress.
The setting is straightforward enough: a first Champions League meeting, a historic stadium, and a coach who is asking for nothing less than full commitment. What happens next will show whether PSV’s changes have made them stronger or simply different.
