It is not yet certain that Hirving Lozano and Derrick Luckassen will take on PSV next Sunday against VVV-Venlo. Head coach Phillip Cocu told De Herdgang on Friday that both players are doubtful due to injury. Especially for Lozano, the game will be a race against time. "We only know at the very last moment if Hirving will be available," Cocu said.
Group training
Lozano returned from Mexico this week with complaints after leading his country to a win over Trinidad & Tobago (3-1) earlier in the week. There is slightly less doubt about Luckassen's employability than Lozano's. According to Cocu, however, both must be able to participate fully in group training on Saturday if the coach is to be able to call on them on the Venlo artificial turf.
Artificial turf
The Venlo players' pitch has been the subject of much debate this season. The ball is said to roll differently and there are more rubber grains than on other artificial turf fields in the Eredivisie. Cocu doesn't care about that. "We have to deal with the circumstances," he believes. "Moreover, I can't judge it at the moment, since we haven't played on it yet. Of course I've seen footage of it, I hope it's not as bad as expected."
Stable
What the head coach can judge is his team's play, and he believes it is getting better. "We have taken steps recently, have become more stable in our performance and things are also sharp at training. They are intensive sessions."