Pro Shots
NOS Voetbal•vandaag, 10:50
Tonight, Luuk de Jong can become the first Dutch footballer with 85 European matches to his name for Dutch clubs, a record. To achieve this, the striker must take action in PSV‘s Champions League match with Girona (6:45 p.m.).
De Jong played his first European match on a dreary October evening in 2009 in Transnistria. As a substitute, he lost with FC Twente when visiting Sheriff Tiraspol in front of just over 10,000 spectators (2-0).
De Jong will play his 85th European match tonight in a completely different atmosphere. In a full Philips Stadium, he will normally wear the captain’s armband in a Champions League match that, according to PSV coach Peter Bosz, “must be won”.
Viergever, Van de Kerkhof and Blind
De Jong is currently equal with Nick Viergever, Willy van de Kerkhof and Danny Blind with 84 European matches. Blind’s son Daley is at 74 and may also play tonight during PSV-Girona, but for the Spanish club.
NOSW= Competitions | G=Goals
However, De Jong also played for Borussia Mönchengladbach, Sevilla and Barcelona in a European context. This means that his total of European matches is 113, which also puts him in an illustrious list.
Of all the Dutch, only Clarence Seedorf (151), Edwin van der Sar (121), Frank de Boer (117) and Arjen Robben (114) played more European matches. The latter can therefore match De Jong tonight.
Most European goals
De Jong already had another record to his name: he already scored the most goals for Dutch clubs in European matches. He now has 32 European goals for Dutch teams, which is three more Mister PSV Willy van der Kuijlen (29).
Van der Kuijlen is also the one who precedes De Jong on yet another list. If it only concerns European goals for PSV, Van der Kuijlen has 29 and De Jong ‘only’ 22, because the latter also scored ten for FC Twente.
De Jong therefore still needs seven goals to equal his illustrious predecessor at the Eindhoven team. He is usually well informed about records, so he will look at that list with a slanted eye.
PSV – Girona at NOS
The kick-off of the PSV-Girona match in the fourth round of the Champions League is on Tuesday at 6.45 pm. The match can be followed via a live report on NPO Radio 1 and via a live blog on NOS.nl or in the NOS app.
In the meantime, the Champions League meeting with Girona is about much more than just De Jong’s record. After three tough matches (Juventus, Sporting CP and Paris Saint-Germain), PSV now has a series of opponents against whom it is possible to score points.
The first hurdle is Girona, which lost to Feyenoord last month. This is followed in the Champions League by Shakhtar Donetsk, Brest and Red Star Belgrade. In total, that is four opponents against whom PSV is at least equal on paper.
‘We are the better team’
Bosz did not want to get too ahead of himself at the press conference. “I don’t look that far ahead. What has to happen is that we win tomorrow. The rest is all new to me and too early to draw conclusions.”
Defender Ryan Flamingo was more outspoken. “If we are at 100 percent, we are the better team,” he said.
