Champions League: Mario Götze’s plan at PSV Eindhoven does not work

by time news

KShortly before the end of stoppage time, when all the nine remaining outfield players from Benfica Lisbon had barricaded themselves in their own penalty area and there was no getting through, Mario Götze tried something again. He ran across the penalty area with the ball at his foot, hoping a Portuguese would do him a favor and get too close.

He got lucky. Götze was cleverly able to catch the free kick. But the shot of his team-mate Eran Zahavi was deflected by the defensive wall and went well over the gate. That was it. The dream of the Champions League was over for PSV Eindhoven and Götze.

“Our disappointment is huge,” said the German World Cup hero from 2014 afterwards. “We worked on it for a year, tried everything. When you see how much possession we had in both games, that’s bitter. ”The Dutch lost the play-off first leg in Lisbon 2-1 – on Tuesday there was only a 0 despite a 60-minute majority of the hosts : 0. The big goal that Götze and Roger Schmidt, Eindhoven’s German coach, set themselves together last summer – it was missed on the home straight.

“In the end it was a little bit efficiency when you see how we played there and here,” said Götze, who made no bones about the fact that after this setback he had to collect himself first. When he signed on in Eindhoven exactly a year ago, to the general surprise of the German public, he had firmly resolved to play in the premier class in the 2021/22 season.

Götze again shows something of the lightness of his early years

That had driven him, he had done everything for it: He threw himself into the task with great enthusiasm and quickly became the game-defining figure in the team. Götze was finally able to act as he wished: as a classic game designer with the greatest possible freedom. The trust that was placed in him was obviously good for him. He had had to do without it for many years. Now it was blooming again – physically and mentally.

Eindhoven has certainly given Götze more than just the prospect of the Champions League – which has now been smashed. This was particularly evident in the past few weeks. In the six qualifying matches against Galatasaray, Midtjylland and Benfica alone, the 27-year-old scored three goals and set up another goal. He was a thinker and leader – on Tuesday, when it was simply not possible to break the Portuguese bolt, even a driver and cheer. An idol who also gets involved in this way – that didn’t exist that often, not even in his earlier, better years.

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“Mario was one of the few who had ideas on the pitch,” said Patrick Owomoyela, Götze’s former teammate from joint BVB times, as an expert on “Amazon Prime”. It is noticeable that he is again showing something of the ease from his early years. Mario Gomez even said that he had “this inner radiance” again.

Hansi Flick apparently sees it similarly. The new national coach recently said that Götze “got back on track” in Eindhoven and raised hopes that there could even be a comeback in the national team – possibly even on Friday, when Flick will name his first squad.

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Nevertheless, the question arises as to how things will go on for Götze. His contract in Eindhoven runs for this season. Thanks to the electronics company Philips, PSV could basically afford to keep it in the longer term. But is the sporting perspective enough for him without the Champions League if he wants to fight for a place in the national team again at the same time?

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This could convince Roger Schmidt, who tried to encourage courage on Tuesday despite all disappointment. The Europa League is also an “interesting competition,” said the coach. With regard to Götze, whom he personally convinced of a commitment in Eindhoven, Schmidt also insists that the offensive player knows what he has in the cooperation.

“He has regained the fun of football,” he said to the “kicker”: “He has self-confidence, has this appreciation of being a very important player, to be assured. I think he has arrived. “

Götze’s dream will remain, however. And it’s about the Champions League – almost more than the national team.

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