Marcel Brands Extends Contract with PSV Until 2029: Reflecting on Last Season’s Thrilling Title Race

This week, Marcel Brands extended his contract with PSV until mid-2029. One of the standout moments during his tenure in Eindhoven was the resolution of last season’s title race, when PSV capitalized on FC Groningen’s late equalizer against Ajax.

Reflecting on the unforgettable title race in an interview with Eindhovens Dagblad, Brands recounted how a previous 2-0 victory by Ajax at the Philips Stadion seemed to all but determine the championship. A week later, he spoke with Ali Dursun, the agent representing players like Saibari and Noa Lang, in Groningen. “He immediately told us not to give up. I insisted we would continue to fight for second place. However, Ali suggested that championship opportunities would arise if we won all our remaining matches. He said, ‘You can still win the title, believe me.’ To his credit, he was right,” Brands shared.

Brands vividly remembered the emotions during that period: “PSV won against Feyenoord (2-3, thanks to Noa Lang), while Ajax suffered a significant defeat against NEC (0-3). At that moment, I sensed that things could turn out unexpectedly. And indeed, they did. What an emotional rollercoaster it was. It still gives me goosebumps. Fans in the Philips Stadion embraced one another, even those who had never met before. It was all so unexpected. I have experienced a great deal in football, including final matchdays, but this? It seemed impossible. Yet, it happened. Watching the footage again? Goosebumps everywhere!”