Valentijn Driessen has questioned the level of Dutch football after PSV’s 1-1 Champions League draw with Shakhtar Donetsk, warning that the Eredivisie’s leading clubs are falling further behind in Europe.

PSV’s disappointing start to their Champions League campaign has prompted a strong reaction from De Telegraaf journalist Valentijn Driessen, who believes the result against Shakhtar Donetsk is another indication of the problems facing Dutch football.

PSV were held to a 1-1 draw by Shakhtar at the Philips Stadion, while Feyenoord suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat away to Barcelona. For Driessen, the two results highlighted a worrying gap between the Netherlands’ leading clubs and the wider European elite.

“You can see that Dutch football is even a size too small for Ukraine,” Driessen said, as quoted by PSV Inside, during NH Radio Sportcafé, while making the same argument in his De Telegraaf column.

The journalist was particularly critical of PSV’s performance against Shakhtar. While he acknowledged the difference in financial resources between Feyenoord and Barcelona, he believes PSV should have taken advantage of playing at home against the Ukrainian side.

“It’s a shame, but at the same time it’s also a disgrace. Even when you look at Feyenoord’s budget, they then play against FC Barcelona, so I understand that, but PSV against Shakhtar should simply have been three points.”

Driessen’s criticism extends beyond the individual result. He believes the performances of PSV and Feyenoord are symptomatic of a broader decline in Dutch football’s European standing.

“You keep sinking further down that European ranking,” he said, referring to the UEFA coefficient ranking, which determines the number of European places available to Dutch clubs.

According to Driessen, the consequences could eventually be felt in the Champions League, with the Netherlands potentially having fewer guaranteed places in the competition.

“Next year there will only be one team that qualifies directly... That’s a real shame for the development of Dutch football.”

The concern is not merely sporting. Driessen also highlighted the financial importance of Champions League participation for the Netherlands’ leading clubs.

There are significant direct revenues available in the competition, while regular participation can also increase the value of players who perform on Europe's biggest stage.

“There is a lot of money to be made directly, but also indirectly,” Driessen explained. “Players become worth much more when they play in the Champions League.”

Driessen expected more from PSV against Shakhtar, particularly given the home advantage.

“I especially expected more from PSV. They really had very little creativity,” he said.

The absence of key midfielders Ismael Saibari and Joey Veerman was also highlighted as an important factor in PSV’s lack of attacking invention.

“They really missed Saibari and Veerman,” Driessen added.

PSV ultimately recovered from a first-half deficit through Sergiño Dest’s equaliser, but Peter Bosz’s side could not find a winning goal despite pushing forward after the interval.

The draw leaves PSV with one point from their opening Champions League fixture and gives further weight to the debate surrounding the club’s ability to compete consistently at European level.

For Driessen, however, the issue goes beyond PSV’s individual result. The performances of the Dutch representatives have raised broader questions about the Eredivisie’s position in European football and whether its leading clubs are keeping pace with the demands of the Champions League