‘I Would Love to Have Him’: PSV Boss Peter Bosz Makes Honest Admission About Club Brugge Star

Peter Bosz has spoken highly of Club Brugge captain Hans Vanaken ahead of PSV’s Champions League meeting with the Belgian side, admitting that he would welcome the midfielder into his own squad.

PSV host Club Brugge at the Philips Stadion on Wednesday evening, with kick-off scheduled for 21:00. Ahead of the encounter, Bosz faced questions from Belgian journalists about the visitors’ key players, their tactical approach and the threat posed by former Ajax winger Carlos Forbs.

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The PSV manager made no secret of his admiration for Vanaken, whose influence in midfield has made him one of Club Brugge’s most important players.

“I would love to have Hans Vanaken on my team, too. It surprises me that he’s still playing for Club Brugge,” Bosz said, as quoted by Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad.

The Dutchman was particularly impressed by the Belgian international’s ability to operate as a linking player despite his physical stature.

“Usually, a linking player isn’t as tall as Vanaken, but he handles it perfectly. There are plenty of other coaches who would love to have him.”

Bosz was also asked about Club Brugge’s attacking threat, with particular attention given to Carlos Forbs.

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The winger previously struggled to establish himself at Ajax, but has found a more productive environment in Belgium. Bosz believes Club Brugge have identified how best to use his qualities and warned against judging the player solely on his time in the Netherlands.

The PSV manager confirmed that his team have studied their opponents carefully but insisted they would not abandon their own principles to deal with individual threats.

“We’ve studied the footage; we’re taking our opponent’s qualities into account, but primarily, we’re focusing on our own strengths,” Bosz explained.

“We aren’t going to change our approach just because Forbs is playing for Club Brugge.”

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He then offered a more detailed assessment of the winger, arguing that his performances in Belgium deserve greater recognition.

“I’m clear when it comes to Forbs: if you don’t follow Club Brugge, you have no idea how good he actually is,” Bosz said, as quoted by PSV Inside.

“In the Netherlands, we’re very quick to pass judgment, too quick, especially when it comes to Ajax. Forbs is doing an excellent job. Club Brugge are playing to his strengths, and they’re doing that very well.”

The PSV manager also acknowledged the quality and consistency required for Club Brugge to reach 13th in the UEFA club rankings.

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The Belgian side’s position reflects their performances in European competition, and Bosz made clear that his players would not underestimate Wednesday’s opponents.

“You don’t reach fourteenth in the UEFA rankings by accident. It means you consistently perform well in Europe. I don’t need to convince my players of that,” he stated.

Club Brugge have established themselves as a difficult opponent on the European stage, and Bosz knows PSV will need to deliver a disciplined performance to secure the result they want.

Bosz was also asked whether PSV’s 1-3 home defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise in last season’s Champions League had influenced his preparations.

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The manager dismissed the suggestion, explaining that the circumstances and tactical approaches were too different for that result to have any meaningful bearing on Wednesday’s match.

“We played Union at home last season and lost, but the two situations aren’t comparable. We’re at a different stage of the season now. Besides, Union plays a different system,” he explained.

“No, I didn’t take that into account in my match preparation. There are simply too many differences. That defeat doesn’t count for anything anymore.”

Bosz’s comments underline the respect he has for Club Brugge, particularly Vanaken and Forbs, but PSV will approach the contest with their own attacking identity. The Dutch champions now have the opportunity to turn that confidence into a strong European performance in front of their home supporters.

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