Sparta boss expecting tough clash - 7M sport

Sparta boss expecting tough clash

Posted Thursday, September 17, 2009 by PA

Sparta Prague coach Jozef Chovanec is bracing himself for a "difficult game" ahead of Thursday's Europa League opener at home to PSV Eindhoven.

Chovanec knows the Dutch outfit well having spent three seasons at the Philips Stadion as a player between 1988 and 1991, and expects a good dose of aggression will be required to disrupt the flow of Fred Rutten's in-form team.

PSV are currently topping the table after six games of the new Eredivisie season, and 49-year-old Chovanec expects the Group K clash to throw up some high-quality football.

"I think PSV is a balanced and strong opponent," said Chovanec, who spent the bulk of his playing career with Sparta and is in his fourth stint as the club's coach.

"I've seen the last matches of PSV and found them very stable, with good performances too. It is a fit team and I think that it will be a very difficult game.

"We must be aggressive and very active."

The game will be the first competitive encounter between Sparta and PSV, but while the fixture itself has no history, for Chovanec the occasion will stir up a host of personal recollections.

Chovanec won two Dutch titles, the first with Guus Hiddink and the second under Sir Bobby Robson, during his stint at PSV, and he admits his time in Holland has had a great influence on his subsequent career, which also includes a period as coach of the Czech national side.

"I love the Dutch football," he continued. "The Netherlands has good players and produced good coaches.

"I have beautiful memories, my time at PSV was most important and successful. There was a positive atmosphere, we became champions and we played in the European Cup.

"Also personally it was a great time, because my daughter was born in the Netherlands."

PSV coach Rutten has an injury concern ahead of the game with midfielder Ibrahim Afellay ruled out due to groin strain sustained in last weekend's 3-0 win over Roda JC.

Recent signing Jagos Vukovic has been called up to the match squad for the first time having made his debut for Jong PSV on Monday.

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