PSV Lament Unnecessary Defeat in Champions League Clash at Juventus 

PSV Eindhoven's Dutch coach Peter Bosz reacts during the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off 1st leg football match between Juventus and PSV Eindhoven at the Allianz stadium in Turin, on February 11, 2025. (AFP)
PSV Eindhoven's Dutch coach Peter Bosz reacts during the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off 1st leg football match between Juventus and PSV Eindhoven at the Allianz stadium in Turin, on February 11, 2025. (AFP)
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PSV Lament Unnecessary Defeat in Champions League Clash at Juventus 

PSV Eindhoven's Dutch coach Peter Bosz reacts during the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off 1st leg football match between Juventus and PSV Eindhoven at the Allianz stadium in Turin, on February 11, 2025. (AFP)
PSV Eindhoven's Dutch coach Peter Bosz reacts during the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off 1st leg football match between Juventus and PSV Eindhoven at the Allianz stadium in Turin, on February 11, 2025. (AFP)

PSV Eindhoven felt they should have taken more from Tuesday's Champions League away clash against Juventus where they conceded a late goal to go down 2-1 in the first leg of their Champions League knockout phase playoff tie on Tuesday.

The Dutch club fought their way back into the game after being 1-0 down at halftime but saw Juventus substitute Samuel Mbangula snatch an 82nd minute winner

"I think it's a shame," PSV coach Peter Bosz said afterwards. "I didn't think it was necessary to lose. Why did it happen? Because it's a top match and these kinds of games usually turn on small details. And we came up short on two or three of them."

Weston McKennie gave the Italian giants the lead but PSV were level early in the second half when veteran Ivan Perisic equalized.

"I think it was an unnecessary loss," added Bosz. "We had a hard time in the first five minutes but after that I thought we had a grip on the match. We dared to play football and the first big chance came our way.

"We scored a great goal to make the score 1-1. Then it's a shame that you give it away like this."

Mbangula's goal came after PSV goalkeeper Walter Benítez parried the ball into the path of the replacement striker, who had an easy finish.

But besides pointing out errors, Bosz praised the performance of Croatian international Perisic who turned 36 at the start of the month.

"I think what he showed was very special. Not only because he scored, but I think was a very well-taken goal."

PSV hosts the return leg at Eindhoven's Philips Stadion next Wednesday, February 19.



Real Madrid Defender Antonio Rüdiger Apologizes for Copa del Rey Outburst

Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger, left, challenges for the ball with Barcelona’s Ferran Torres during the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)
Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger, left, challenges for the ball with Barcelona’s Ferran Torres during the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)
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Real Madrid Defender Antonio Rüdiger Apologizes for Copa del Rey Outburst

Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger, left, challenges for the ball with Barcelona’s Ferran Torres during the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)
Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger, left, challenges for the ball with Barcelona’s Ferran Torres during the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger has apologized for his outburst of rage against the referee at the end of his team’s Copa del Rey final defeat to Barcelona.

The Germany defender was incensed when teammate Kylian Mbappé was pulled back for a foul instead of threatening for a goal at the end of extra time in the 3-2 defeat that finished in the early hours on Sunday, and he had to be restrained by teammates and coaching staff after apparently throwing a small bag of ice onto the field and shouting at the referee, The AP news reported.

“There’s definitely no excuse for my behavior last night,” Rüdiger wrote Sunday in an Instagram story. “I’m very sorry for that. We played a very good game from the 2nd half on.”

Rüdiger had gone off midway through the second period of extra time after earlier having had his legs bandaged.

“After 111 minutes I was not able to help my team anymore and before the final whistle I did a mistake,” Rüdiger said. “Sorry again to the referee and to everyone I have disappointed last night.”

Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoechea also handed out red cards to Jude Bellingham and Lucas Vázquez for protesting.

De Burgos wrote in his match report that Rüdiger “threw an object from the coaching area that didn’t reach me,” and that the Germany defender had displayed “an aggressive attitude.”

Rüdiger faces a possible multi-game suspension, while Bellingham and Vázquez likely face lesser sanctions.

The day before the final De Burgos denounced a campaign to discredit him by Real Madrid’s official club television station.