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Dutch Cup winners PSV take on the most successful club in Scottish football in a crunch second leg Champions League play-off tie on Wednesday night.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side travel to the Philips Stadion following a 2-2 first leg draw at Ibrox, with the winners on the night qualifying for the Champions League group stages. Defeat will see the losers drop into the Europa League.
Head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy has enjoyed a solid start to life at PSV, winning both of his opening Eredivisie games by three-goal margins against FC Emmen and Go Ahead Eagles.
The Netherlands side managed to come away from Ibrox with a respectable 2-2 draw after initially taking the lead through Ibrahim Sangare's pouncing finish.
Rangers responded in rapid fashion, levelling the scoreline just three minutes later through Antonio Colak.
PSV heads could have dropped after goalkeeper Walter Benitez’s howler gifted Rangers the lead with just 20 minutes to go, but Armando Obispo’s towering header restored parity and sees van Nistelrooy’s side enter the second leg as strong favourites.
In a boost for PSV, the Dutch FA granted the Eindhoven club a full week off from Eredivisie action to fully focus on the task at hand. Their supporters will certainly be up for the occasion:
PSV are without a win in their previous three home encounters with Rangers and will be determined to improve that record and secure Champions League qualification.
The hosts could be without Carlos Vinicius, Noni Madueke, Mauro Junior, Olivier Boscagli and Yorbe Vertessen due to injuries.
Luuk de Jong, rumoured Manchester United target Cody Gakpo and Ismael Saibari are expected to lead the attack, while Toffees loanee Jarrad Branthwaite may once again be resigned to a spot on the bench.
PSV Predicted Team:
Benitez; Teze, Ramalho, Obispo, Max; Sangare, Veerman, Gutierrez; Saibari, De Jong, Gakpo
UCL Play-off second leg – Wednesday 24th August 2022
KO – 22:00 PM
Channel – beIN SPORTS 1 EN
Online – beIN CONNECT
Rangers started their 2022/23 Scottish Premiership season on a positive note with wins over Livingston, Kilmarnock, and St Johnstone.
Their 2-2 draw with PSV was followed up by the same result against Hibernian, as the Gers finished with nine men with John Lundstram and Alfredo Morelos sent off within 10 minutes of one another.
Giovanni van Bronckhort’s side will be looking to dust themselves off quickly in a bid to return to the Champions League group stages for the first time in 12 years.
The Gers can take inspiration from their memorable run to the Europa League final, where they eventually lost out to Frankfurt in a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout defeat.
Rangers have struggled on the road in Europe, winning just one of their 11 away games. That sole victory was particularly special, a 4-2 away win at Dortmund to stun the German side.
Alfredo Morelos has been left out of Rangers’ squad for the second leg against PSV due to attitude and fitness concerns.
Kemar Roofe, Filip Helander and Ianis Hagi are all sidelined with long-term injuries, while Tom Lawrence suffered a twisted ankle in the draw against Hibs and is a doubt for the clash.
Rangers Predicted Team:
McLaughlin; Tavernier, Goldson, Sands, Barisic; Lundstram, Davis, Jack; Tillman, Colak, Kent
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