Even so, the trainer wasn't completely discouraged. "Our possession play was good. It might have been one of our better matches. You do need luck on your sometimes once in a while. We didn't have it today. We tried everything. I can't fault the lads for anything. They didn't let up all match. But the numbers don't lie: we lost by 3-1 and are out of Europa."
Although the frustration is now great after the defeat, Heitinga is already thinking of the next match on the schedule: away at Vitesse. "The spirit is stronger than a tired body. We need to recover quickly."
Mental resilience
An immediate turnaround is needed. "We have to. We're still playing for two prizes. I believe that if we keep playing with this attitude and intensity, we'll be playing in the Champions League next year. It's a shame we're out of Europa now, but we'll come out of this stronger. I'm convinced of that."
