Ricardo Pepi was severely injured in his knee in January of this year, but on Saturday evening he returned for the first time in the basic selection of PSV. The 22-year-old American immediately scored twice against NEC. This season, the striker hopes to be much more value for the people of Eindhoven. “They were tough months, but I’m glad I’m back.”
Pepi had to do this season with a number of raids, but against NEC he got the confidence of Peter Bosz. With his goals he showed why his trainer sees the ideal PSV striker in him. “He is not quite there yet, but I am terribly happy that we could play football again with a real striker,” said Bosz after the 3-5 duel won. “His first was a typical Pepi goal. And then he showed that he could also head.”
Pepi thought the rehabilitation after his injury he contracted at the end of January against Liverpool. “It was a long process. After the operation I heard that it took about six or seven months, but unfortunately it was a bit longer. Together with the staff at PSV we worked hard to be on the field again. I am happy that I was allowed to start and score. At the start of the season I said I want to make it. I certainly have goals.”
Pepi was clear about the 3-5 victory. “It is one of the nicest matches I played. We see what we should work on, but the most important thing is the three points.”
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Bosz thought it was a competition where he never sat quietly in his chair. “We have offered too little football. You can kill a match by playing football under pressure and we have the players for that,” the trainer knows. “If I look at the entire game, then we rightly won and scored five times. It was a match in which both teams bought together. You don’t see that often. What I also liked is that the NEC audience was sang their team. They appreciate how they play football.”
Other setup
Against Champions League-opponent Union Saint-Gilloise Tuesday evening, Bosz will not opt for the same setup as in Nijmegen.
“We wanted to mirror the NEC arrangement. That is why I was the only centrally in the back and two controlling midfielders for OBI (OBISPO). He is the fastest of the three central defenders, is headlight and has a very good kick with the left. There were options behind the rear of NEC.”