Mark van Bommel is no longer willing to think about the title after PSV Eindhoven lost 1-0 to AZ Alkmaar on Sunday.
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PSV’s 1-0 defeat to AZ means they are now three points behind Ajax going into the final day of the season on Wednesday. Ajax also have a far superior goal difference, that means even if PSV win against Heracles and Ajax lose to De Graafschap, the title is still very likely to go to Amsterdam.
Speaking to Fox Sports after the defeat, PSV boss Mark van Bommel said, “I don’t feel like discussing the entire season right now.
“We get eighty points, but you are second. Then I can put up a nice story, but it is not enough. We can absolutely not talk about the championship anymore. Whether Ajax is the rightful champion? Yes, if you become a champion, then you are the rightful champion.
“It wasn’t a super bad season, but it won’t help you if you don’t become a champion. We must now be realistic and know that we will not make up for this anymore.”
Van Bommel believes the 3-1 defeat at Ajax was the big turning moment in the title race, “In Amsterdam, in particular, we let it go. We gave one chance away and that was immediately a goal, with the David Neres moment (penalty at 1-1). We also had total control. We played really well there, but at 1-1 against ten, we should have finished. “
In a way I am a bit relieved that we are now behind on points. It is much easier to say that your rivals are worthy champions when it is points that decide it rather than goal differential (which needs to be abolished as a tiebreaker in my opinion). Of course, this could still happen, but I don’t see a repeat of Ajax’s final fixture in Doetinchem.
PSV’s reality is that their form away from home after the winter break was not that of a championship club. Even with today’s loss, one more goal in road fixture in Emmen, Heerenveen, Utrecht and Arnhem would have us at 88 points. Only three of those would have PSV likely champions today and make the loss in Amsterdam meaningless. The story for the last month has been the massive difference in goal differential, however the margin to decide the title was much less. Congrats to Ajax.
Of course, I meant to say “Ajax’s 2016 final fixture in Doetinchem”.