PSV boss downcast at Liverpool draw

PSV Eindhoven coach Ronald Koeman admitted he was disappointed to be facing Liverpool again in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Koeman‘s men were second behind the 2005 champions in Group C before dispatching Arsenal in the last 16.

And he admitted the quarter-final draw, made in Athens on Friday, had not gone the way he wanted.

“It is a real disappointment,” said Koeman. “I do think that all clubs are tricky, but the fact is that we already had them in the group stage.

“You want to go somewhere else – all other clubs would have been nice. But we are glad that we are part of this stage of the tournament.”

Rafael Benitez led his side to an away goals victory over last year‘s champions Barcelona in the last round, including a 2-1 first-leg win in the Nou Camp, and Koeman expects a tough battle as they go for a semi-final place.

He said: “Liverpool are tough because they play a defensive game, just like we do. They have a few fantastic players like Steven Gerrard.

“If you beat Barcelona 2-1 on their own turf you are a very strong team. It will be a hell of a job so it will be important to get a good result in our own stadium.”

The first leg at the Philips Stadion is scheduled for April 3/4, with the return match at Anfield a week later.