Phillip Cocu saw his team lose to Atlético Madrid on Tuesday night in a heroic football battle after penalty kicks. After the match, the PSV head coach indicated he looked back on the double confrontation with Atlético Madrid with double feelings. "The disappointment in the group is of course big. It is very sour to be eliminated like that, but I can only be proud of my team."
'A very double feeling '
"It gives a very double feeling," Cocu began his analysis at the press conference in the catacomb of Estadio Vicente Calderón. "On the one hand, pride prevails about the commitment of the players, the team and about the way we played. With a lot of tactical discipline and fight. But, if you then lose after penalties and Zoet even came very close, then players and I are left with a very double feeling. We were really very close to the quarterfinals," sighed the coach.
De Jong could not continue
Cocu further indicated that Luuk de Jong 's change was born out of necessity, but that he deliberately waited a long time to intervene because several players were on their last legs. "Luuk indicated that he really couldn't continue. I deliberately waited a long time to change in the extension, because Andrés (Guardado ed.) also had complaints, but Luuk really couldn't continue. He had cramps in both hamstrings. I had to substitute him."
Diego Simeone compliments PSV
Atlético coach Diego Simeone, as we know him, constantly ran along the line during the match. That was not because his team was doing so well, he confessed at the press conference. He then complimented PSV on the fight it had delivered in his eyes. "PSV made a big impression on me. They are incredibly difficult to play against and can play in multiple systems themselves. The team played with a lot of players in the back and because of that we actually only had one really big chance, through Griezmann. The 0-0 starting position was obviously difficult as well. The relief that we are through is great, that came out after the last penalty kick."