We round off the Champions League group stage with a trip to PSV Eindhoven, who have been a familiar foe in our European campaigns across recent decades.
However, if you're unfamiliar with the Dutch side's history, or just want to know how they've been getting on since we last met in September, then we have everything you need to know about our opponents.
The history
One of the Netherlands’ biggest clubs, PSV have won 24 league titles as well as both the European Cup (1987/88) and UEFA Cup (1977/78). They have appeared in Europe in every season since 1975/76, meaning this will be their 50th straight campaign doing so.
Established in 1913 for the workers of the local Philips electronics factory, 13 years later PSV reached the top-flight where they have remained ever since. A first league title arrived in 1929, but further successes were fleeting until the mid-1970s when manager Kees Rijvers led his team to three league titles - including a Double - and the UEFA Cup in four seasons.
Better things were to come in the late 1980s when under Guus Hiddink they completed a Treble by beating Benfica for the European Cup in 1988 - one of six league titles the legendary boss won across two spells. Bobby Robson continued the success into the 1990s, while their last golden period came under Philip Cocu’s leadership when they won three out of four championships between 2015 and 2018 - their last triumph.
The stadium
PSV play at the 36,500-capacity Philips Stadion, which is the third-largest football stadium in the country. A ground has been on the site since 1910, with its last major works completed in 2002.
It has hosted numerous Dutch national team matches, as well as three matches at Euro 2000 including England’s 3-2 defeat to Portugal. It was also the venue for the 2006 UEFA Cup final when Middlesbrough were beaten 4-0 by Sevilla, and last season's Women's Champions League final.
Last season
Ruud van Nistelrooy was appointed as manager in the summer of 2022 in his first senior managerial role, and would lift the Johan Cruyff Shield as well as the Dutch Cup by beating Ajax on both occasions.
After exiting the Champions League in the play-off round, they finished below ourselves in our Europa League group but exited against Sevilla in the next round, having nearly overturned a 3-0 loss from the first leg.
However, after finishing second in the Eredivisie behind Feyenoord, van Nistelrooy resigned with one game to go after alleged dressing room unrest with coaches and players.
The manager
The former PSV striker was replaced in the hotseat by former Netherlands midfielder Peter Bosz, who notably represented Waalwijk and Feyenoord during his playing days. His first major managerial achievement came when he guided Heracles into the Eredivise in 2005, and led Ajax to the 2016 Europa League final in his one season in Amsterdam.
He opted to move to Borussia Dortmund after that, but was sacked after six months. He then pitched up at Bayer Leverkusen where he nurtured a young Kai Havertz and guided them into the Champions League in 2019. His most recent post was an 18-month stint at Lyon.
The squad
There has been a revamp since we faced PSV last season, with star man and Eredivise golden boot winner Xavi Simons re-signed by PSG this summer and loaned to RB Leipzig. That followed the departures of Cody Gakpo and Noni Madueke, who had been snapped up by Liverpool and Chelsea respectively in January, while Ibrahim Sangare joined Nottingham Forest on deadline day.
In their place, three new attackers have been acquired this summer with USA international Ricardo Pepi, former striker Hirving Lozano and Noa Lang [above], who represented the Netherlands at the 2022 World Cup.
Other notable recent recruits include Southampton’s German international Armel Bella-Kotchap and Barcelona full-back Sergino Dest, while Bosz can also call on former Crystal Palace left-back Patrick van Aanholt, young winger Ismael Saibari and veteran striker Luuk de Jong, who has netted 17 times in 25 appearances so far this term.
The season so far
PSV have been immaculate this term in the Eredivisie, and are already 10 points clear at the top of the league having won 15 of 15, scoring an incredible 52 goals along the way.
They hit top spot in September after five matches and have kept going, recording a 5-2 success over Ajax in October when Hirving Lozano netted a hat-trick, and edging past nearest rivals Feyenoord 2-1 earlier this month to increase their stranglehold on the division. They also lifted the Dutch Super Cup in August thanks to a 1-0 win against Feyenoord.
Having reached the Champions League by beating Rangers in a play-off, two points from their opening three games following a 4-0 loss to ourselves (their only defeat this season) and draws against Lens and Sevilla left their hopes in the balance. However, successive wins over both clubs, including recovering from two goals down to beat the Spanish side away from home, have seen them secure qualification.
The previous meetings
We have faced PSV in competitive action on nine occasions, with seven coming in Champions League ties as well as last season’s pair of meetings in the Europa League.
In 2002/03, goals from Gilberto Silva, Freddie Ljungberg and a Thierry Henry brace secured a 4-0 win in Eindhoven, before a 0-0 draw at Highbury in the group stages; the same stage that we faced each other in 2004/05 when an own goal secured us a home win before a 1-1 draw in the Netherlands, when Lauren and Patrick Vieira both received red cards.
We were drawn against each other again in 2006/07 in the round of 16. PSV won the first leg 1-0 at home, before securing a 1-1 draw at Emirates Stadium after Alex scored at both ends to eliminate us from the competition.
Last season saw us paired in the Europa League group stages, when a Granit Xhaka strike saw us secure a 1-0 win at home, but we fell to a 2-0 loss a week later out in Eindhoven when Joey Veerman and de Jong netted. Then came our 4-0 thrashing on matchday one when Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard found the net.
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