Schreuder was a proud coach after NEC's 3-2 victory over PSV in the KNVB Cup semi-final. "I thoroughly enjoyed our play and the fantastic atmosphere in the stadium," he stated. "To beat this PSV side is just fantastic," Schreuder added. "We often receive compliments about our midfield. But before halftime, you could see how they, with Jerdy Schouten, Ismael Saibari, and Joey Veerman, took control of the game. We've done a lot right this season, but we also conceded two goals too easily before the break."
Hoisted by the Players
After the break, according to Schreuder, NEC was 'much tighter on the PSV midfielders' and 'often steamrolled over them'. "We fought hard, and that earned us a spot in the final." After the final whistle, Schreuder was mobbed by his captain Tjaronn Chery and was later hoisted into the air by his players. "You can try to stop that, but it's impossible. The synergy between the technical staff and the players is fantastic. There's so much respect."
Comparison to Diego Simeone
The scenes after the final whistle were unforgettable for anyone with a red-black-green heart. Schreuder: "I experienced the last twenty minutes of the match very emotionally. I felt like Diego Simeone," he said, referring to the Atlético Madrid coach. "My players on the bench must have thought: what's wrong with that madman?"
The NEC supporters celebrated the victory as if the KNVB Cup had already been won. "We're going to De Kuip and we're going to Europe," they chanted even half an hour after the match. "This is just wonderful," Schreuder beamed. "They always support us, but today our fans were amazing."
AZ or Telstar
This marks the sixth time NEC has reached the cup final; they lost the previous five. Two years ago, Feyenoord proved too strong in De Kuip. This year, the Nijmegen side will face the winner of Wednesday evening's match between AZ and Telstar.