Former PSV Eindhoven player Nordin Amrabat believes the club’s injury problems up front played a significant role in their 1-0 Champions League defeat to RB Leipzig, arguing that Peter Bosz was left without the attacking options needed to change the game late on.

PSV suffered a narrow loss in Germany on Tuesday after Brajan Gruda’s deflected effort in the 75th minute settled the contest. However, Bosz’s side had opportunities to take the lead, most notably when Sven Mijnans missed a promising chance shortly after half-time.

Speaking in the Ziggo Sport studio after the match, Amrabat questioned Mijnans’ influence while acknowledging the difficulty of playing as a makeshift striker. He also highlighted PSV’s shortage of available forwards as a major obstacle when they needed a late attacking response.

Amrabat Questions Mijnans’ Impact Up Front

Mijnans was handed the responsibility of leading PSV’s attack amid the club’s injury crisis, but the midfielder struggled to make a decisive impact against Leipzig.

His most significant opportunity arrived early in the second half, when he had a chance to put PSV ahead but sent his effort wide.

Amrabat was unimpressed with the overall contribution, although he recognised the challenges Mijnans faced in an unfamiliar role.

“He wasn't conspicuous, and that says everything, I think. He was busy, but it was also difficult for him on his own up front,” the former PSV forward said.

The missed opportunity proved costly as PSV failed to capitalise on their chances before Gruda struck for Leipzig. With the contest finely balanced, Mijnans’ inability to convert arguably represented one of the visitors’ biggest regrets of the evening.

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PSV’s Injury Crisis Limits Bosz’s Options

Amrabat also pointed to the absence of three recognised forwards as a key factor behind PSV’s inability to mount a stronger response after falling behind.

Ricardo Pepi, Sam Lammers and Alassane Pléa were all unavailable because of injuries, leaving Bosz with limited options to strengthen his attack from the bench.

New signing Mikkel Bro Hansen had initially been left out of PSV’s Champions League squad but was subsequently registered following Pléa’s injury. The Danish forward made his debut against Leipzig, coming on in the closing stages.

For Amrabat, the situation illustrated how PSV’s injury problems had affected their ability to respond when the match turned against them.

“That’s actually also PSV’s bad luck: you miss Lammers, Pepi and Pléa, those are three strikers,” he explained, as relayed by PSV Inside.

He then highlighted the difficulty Bosz faced after Leipzig took the lead in the final quarter of the match.

“Also at the end, in the final quarter-hour, they fall behind 1-0 and PSV couldn’t really mount a late offensive. Normally you bring on one or two of those big strikers and that couldn’t happen now. Now Bro Hansen comes on, he’s a debutant, I believe.”

Missed Chances And Limited Attacking Depth Prove Costly

PSV’s defeat was not solely down to their injury problems. The visitors had opportunities to take control of the contest, including Ivan Perišić’s missed penalty and Mijnans’ second-half chance.

Nevertheless, the lack of experienced attacking alternatives made it harder for Bosz to change the game once Gruda’s deflected strike put Leipzig ahead.

Amrabat’s assessment underlined the combination of missed opportunities and limited squad options that left PSV frustrated in Germany. With just one point from their opening two Champions League matches, Bosz’s side must find a way to turn promising performances into results while dealing with their current injury problems.