This newsitem has been supplied by PSV.nl
Sef Vergoossen expects Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli to send out his side to attack PSV on Thursday. The PSV head coach does not think that Fiorentina will have a new game plan when they take on PSV in Eindhoven. 'I expect them to throw men forward again.' Vergoossen will have to do without Farfán and Afellay, and gracefully accepted his fate. 'We will not make many tactical changes, if any at all.'
Vergoossen stressed at the pre-match press conference at the Philips Stadium that a big squad at PSV will cope with the enforced absence of first-team regulars Farfán and Afellay. 'We will have to play as a team. We are keen to reach the next round', said Vergoossen. 'We are sharp yet relaxed and concentrate fully on our game, just like we did last week. I expect Fiorentina to play attacking football again.' Vergoossen was asked how he felt now that his side face a potentially pivotal week with Fiorentina and FC Twente at home, just a few months after he made a return to Dutch football. 'We realise we are on the eve of a crucial week, but yet I approach this game like any other game.'
Captain Timmy Simons is set to make his 82nd appearance in European football Thursday night. 'That's all very nice, but reaching the next phase in the UEFA Cup would be a real highlight', said the Belgian, who focuses exclusively on the next game. He knows that the 1-1 draw from the first leg comes with no warranty. 'We vividly remember what happened when we played host to Tottenham Hotspur. Fiorentina have a good attacking team. I rate them highly.' Simons is obviously disappointed that Farfán, who serves a one-match ban, and Afellay, who has sustained an ankle injury, are definitely absent, but the PSV captain did not refer to the problems as 'insurmountable' 'We will miss two in-form players, but we have played vital games without key players before. We are ready for tomorrow night's challenge.'
PSV's showdown with Fiorentina on Thursday night will attract a sell-out crowd, including 1600 traveling fans from Italy. Fiorentina will not avail themselves of the opportunity to inspect the pitch at the Philips Stadium. Coach Prandelli and his men prefer to have their final training session in Florence, ahead of Thursday's UEFA Cup quarter-final second leg. PSV will have Alcides and Mike Zonneveld available again, while Ismail Aissati could also make a return to action. The young midfielder has come through the Wednesday training session unscathed, and will face a fitness test on Thursday, but Vergoossen was optimistic. PSV v Fiorentina kicks off on Thursday night at 20: 45.
