On This Day in 2023, Dest's Clinical Finish Caps PSV's Perfect League Campaign Before the Winter Break
The return to his homeland had been unconventional, but by December 2023, it was proving to be exactly what Sergino Dest needed. After a disappointing loan spell at AC Milan the previous season, the Netherlands-born American had found himself surplus to requirements at Barcelona. When PSV Eindhoven came calling in late August with a loan offer that included an option to buy, it represented a chance at redemption—a return to the Eredivisie where he had first made his name with Ajax.
The move reunited Dest with former Barcelona teammate Luuk de Jong at a club with serious ambitions. PSV weren't just competing for domestic honors; they were navigating the Champions League group stages alongside Arsenal, Sevilla and Lens. For Dest, it was an opportunity to rebuild his confidence and prove he could still operate at the highest level.
By mid-December, PSV had transformed into an unstoppable force under Peter Bosz. 15 consecutive Eredivisie victories had them cruising toward the winter break with a commanding 10-point lead at the top of the table. They had drawn 1-1 with Arsenal in midweek—a Champions League encounter that confirmed their place in the knockout rounds—and now faced one final domestic hurdle before the holidays.
AZ Alkmaar awaited at the AFAS Stadion, a venue that historically posed problems for visiting sides. Despite sitting third in the table, AZ arrived in disarray. Their disappointing elimination from the Europa Conference League just days earlier—a 2-0 defeat in Poland to Legia Warsaw—had ended their European campaign at the group stage. Pascal Jansen's side had managed just three wins in their last 10 matches across all competitions, and the pressure was mounting.
Bosz made his intentions clear with his team selection on December 17, reverting to the lineup that had dismantled Heerenveen the previous weekend. Dest returned at left back, De Jong led the line, and fellow American Malik Tillman occupied a position in attack. The message was simple: maintain perfection.
What followed was a masterclass in attacking football that left AZ shell-shocked. PSV didn't just win—they obliterated their hosts from the opening whistle. The onslaught began in the sixth minute when Tillman drew a clumsy challenge in the box, earning a penalty that De Jong converted with his trademark composure. Five minutes later, Ismael Saibari doubled the advantage with a composed finish, and the floodgates had opened. AZ's defense was in shambles, unable to cope with PSV's relentless pressing and fluid movement. The third goal, arriving in the 16th minute, showcased everything that made PSV so dangerous.
Tillman, operating in that dangerous space between midfield and attack, received possession near the center circle. Shielding his marker with his body, the American turned and spotted Dest making an aggressive run from his left-back position. The through ball was perfectly weighted, splitting AZ's backline and releasing Dest into acres of space. The execution was clinical. Dest took one touch to control the ball as he entered the penalty area, then another to set himself before drilling a low shot across goalkeeper Hobie Verhulst and into the bottom-right corner. It was a striker's finish from a defender, the kind of goal that epitomized PSV's attacking philosophy under Bosz.
"I haven't experienced this football before at PSV," De Jong would say afterward, marveling at the quality his team was producing. For Dest, the goal represented his first for the club since arriving four months earlier—a breakthrough moment in what had been a solid but not spectacular loan spell. Pascal Jansen responded with a triple substitution before halftime, desperately trying to stem the tide, but PSV's dominance was absolute. AZ managed zero shots in the first half, completely overrun by their visitors' intensity. De Jong added a fourth goal just before the hour mark with a towering header, and PSV cruised through the remainder of the match, restricting their hosts to a single shot across the entire 90 minutes.
The final whistle confirmed a 4-0 demolition and, more significantly, a 16th consecutive Eredivisie victory. PSV had completed the calendar year unbeaten in the league, accumulating 103 goals in the process—a staggering average of more than six per game. Bosz's side went into the winter break with that 10-point cushion intact, looking every bit the champions-in-waiting. For Dest, the performance validated his decision to return to the Netherlands. Playing in a dominant team that encouraged fullbacks to attack had unleashed a confidence that had been missing during his struggles in Italy. The combination with Tillman added another dimension—two Americans thriving in tandem, contributing to a potential title-winning campaign.
The season would ultimately deliver that championship, though Dest's role would be cut short by a cruel ACL injury in April that ended his campaign prematurely. Yet his contributions during those crucial months had been vital, and PSV's appreciation was evident. When his Barcelona contract wound down in the summer, the Dutch club made the move permanent on a free transfer, handing Dest a contract through 2028. "PSV believes in me, and I am greatly appreciated here," Dest would reflect on making the transfer permanent. "I got to know the club, and it is incredibly warm, like I have never experienced anywhere before."
That December afternoon in Alkmaar, with snowflakes beginning to fall and PSV sitting atop Dutch football, Dest had found what had eluded him for two frustrating seasons—a place where he belonged. One goal, one assist from a fellow American, and one perfect league campaign before the winter break. It was the kind of performance that reminded everyone why Barcelona had paid €20 million for him in the first place, and why PSV was willing to bet on his future.