In the Round of 16 clash between PSV and Borussia Dortmund, the first leg at the Philips Stadion ended in a 1-1 draw, providing Dortmund with a slight advantage as they headed back to Germany. In the return leg, Dortmund asserted their dominance with a convincing 2-0 victory over the Dutch giants.
What happened between Erik Ten Hag and Sancho?
Sancho, who was loaned to Dortmund from Manchester United in the January transfer window, had a dispute with his boss, Erik Ten Hag, following a comment he made openly about his commitment after a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal in a press meeting. Ten Hag was asked why Sancho wasn’t included in the lineup, and he said, ”On his performance in training, we didn’t select him. You have to reach the level every day at Manchester United.”, as per The Athletic.
Sancho, dissatisfied with his boss’s comment, took to social media to debunk claims of him not giving his best. The England forward was later exiled from the senior team squad, which prompted his loan move to the German side.
Sancho on song for Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund fielded a formidable lineup, including Jadon Sancho, who was making his first Champions League home appearance for Dortmund since December 2020, while PSV manager Peter Bosz gambled on starting midfielder Joey Veerman, who had passed a late fitness test. Notably, former Crystal Palace defender Patrick van Aanholt found himself on the bench for PSV.
From the onset, Dortmund controlled the game, leaving little room for PSV to maneuver. Jadon Sancho broke the deadlock by expertly slotting a low shot past the defenders and into the net, giving Dortmund the lead.
Despite PSV’s efforts to regain momentum in the second half, their hopes were dashed in injury time due to a defensive slip reminiscent of Steven Gerrard’s infamous fall. Ricardo Pepi’s stumble opened the door for Marco Reus to capitalize, mirroring Demba Ba’s opportunistic finish as he calmly slotted the ball home.
In the end, Dortmund’s strong performance secured their passage to the next round, while PSV faced disappointment in their Champions League campaign.
