Psv’s bosz eyes Champs League redemption against old club dortmund

THE HAGUE:PSV Eindhoven coach Peter Bosz has added incentive for today’s Champions League last-16 clash against Borussia Dortmund -- he spent a miserable few months at the Bundesliga giants culminating in a humiliating sacking.

The 60-year-old Dutchman has enjoyed a remarkable season with runaway Eredivisie leaders PSV, who equalled a top-flight record by winning their first 17 league games.

PSV are now gunning for their first Champions League quarter-final since the 2007-2008 season, as Eindhoven fans dare to dream of emulating Guus Hiddink’s class of 1988 which lifted the cup.

But Bosz will have a personal point to prove against Dortmund, who tempted him away from Ajax in June 2017, paying a Bundesliga record €5mil (Rm26mil) in compensation.

The Bosz reign started brightly enough. Six wins from the first seven games led some to speculate that Dortmund could finally dethrone perennial champions Bayern Munich.

But the rot started to set in by midoctober, when Dortmund embarked on a run of five games without a win, piling the pressure on the new coach.

The domestic woes were compounded by failure in Europe, with Dortmund crashing out of the Champions League group stage without a single win.

However, the low point came on Nov 25, in a famous game at home against bitter local derby rivals Schalke 04.

Dortmund were 4-0 up within 25 minutes but somehow contrived to draw the game 4-4, leaving the home fans -- and backroom bosses -furious.

At a board meeting the following day, CEO Hans-joachim Watzke told booing club members: “I feel just as shitty as you all ... I have never experienced anything like that.”

Media slammed Bosz’s 4-3-3 system and he failed to get the best out of star striker Pierre-emerick Aubameyang, who eventually transferred to Arsenal after several disciplinary issues at Dortmund.

The die was cast and Bosz was finally sacked on Dec 10, after just 167 days in charge. “Bye, Bye, Bosz,” headlined mass circulation daily Bild.

When the last 16 draw was made against his old employers, Bosz was diplomatic, describing Dortmund as a “big club” with one of the strongest fanbases in Europe.

“I still know a lot of people at the club and I’m looking forward to it,” he said.