The Champions League will enter the knockout stage after Wednesday’s final group stage matchups. Just 16 teams will be left and two of the teams who are already moving on happen to be Dutch side PSV Eindhoven and global giant’s Barcelona.
What exactly could these two teams have in common other than being in the round of 16 in the Champions League? Not much, but it could be a juicy matchup thanks to the words of a 21-year old defender from PSV.
PSV defender Joshua Brenet would love to draw the Spanish champions — a task few teams have wanted or been successful at winning against in recent times. That seems to not matter to the young defender, who had a message to send to the Spanish side should they be drawn together in the round of 16.
“It would be nice to play against them (Barcelona), whether it’s this round, the next round or in the final,” said Berent, according to FourFourTwo.
“We will eat Messi, Suarez and Neymar alive.”
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The 21-year old defender also admitted to being a fan of the side, but his statement of taking on and “eating alive” three of the world’s best players in attack is a bold statement indeed.
PSV got to the Round of 16 as the beneficiary of one of the craziest final minutes in a group stage this past decade. With Manchester United’s roller coaster game going on at the same time, PSV scored a late 2-1 victory themselves and with it leapfrogged the English side and earned the second position out of it’s group.
Barcelona ran away with Group E, winning it on 13 points and besting the runner up, AS Roma by 8 points.
The combination of Messi, Neymar and Suarez have led to XX of their XX goals in Champions League play to date.
So, Brenet’s comments hold some serious boldness considering his side gave up seven goals in a group full of sides failing to pack much offensive punch (CSKA Moscow, Manchester United and Wolfsburg).
The Champions League round of 16 draw will pair the winners of the eight groups against the second place teams from each group, while making sure teams from the same country and same group can not be drawn together.
Will Brenet’s wish come true? We won’t find out until the official draw takes place next Monday.
