PSV Eye a Comeback Against Cambuur – Is Pepi Finally Back in the XI?

PSV Eindhoven travel to the Kooi Stadion on Sunday with a clear mission: shake off the sting of a 1‑2 Champions League exit at the hands of Club Brugge and grab three points against a hungry SC Cambuur side.

Manager Peter Bosz isn’t about to reinvent the wheel. According to the latest leak from Voetbalzone, the Dutch outfit will line up in almost the same shape that fell short in Belgium. Goal‑keeper Matej Kovar keeps the gloves, while the back four remains familiar: Sergiño Dest on the right, Lutsharel Geertruida alongside Armando Obispo, and the ever‑reliable Filip Kostic holding the left flank.

Kostic, who was harried by Carlos Forbs in the Brugge game, gets another crack at proving his worth. He’ll have the comfort of a backline that knows each other’s habits – a small but handy advantage.

In midfield, Bosz sticks with the trio that gave him moments of joy against Brugge. Kodai Sano, the Japanese youngster who found the net in Brussels, starts alongside the Dutch stalwart Guus Til and the versatile Mauro Júnior. The three will have to keep the tempo high, especially with Cambuur’s aggressive pressing.

Now the big question: is Ivan Perišić, affectionately nicknamed Pepi, finally back on the pitch? The Croatia winger suffered a head wound in the Belgian tie and was seen sporting a bandage, but medical reports suggest he’s fit enough to start. If Bosz trusts him, Pepi could provide the creative spark PSV desperately need.

Flanking Perišić, the attacking duo of Sven Mijnans and Ruben van Bommel will look to exploit any spaces left by Cambuur’s compact defense. The young Dutch forward Mijnans has been buzzing in training, while Van Bommel brings a bit of lineage – he’s the grandson of former Dutch great René van Bommel – and a hunger to make his mark.

Everything hinges on the result. PSV sit just behind the traditional Dutch heavyweights Feyenoord and Ajax, and a win would keep them in the race for a European spot. Cambuur, meanwhile, sit comfortably in mid‑table but are eager to prove they can trouble a club of PSV’s stature.

The match kicks off at 16:45 CET, broadcast live on ESPN 2. All eyes will be on Pepi – will he finally earn his place in the starting eleven, or will Bosz keep him on the bench as a super‑sub? Only the next ninety minutes will tell.