SM
Spurs vs. Liverpool: 14 hrs 55 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
RL
Champions League | Playoffs | 1st Leg
Aug 22, 2023 at 8pm UK
Ibrox Stadium
P

Rangers
2 - 2
PSV

Sima (45'), Matondo (76')
Tavernier (36'), Barisic (48'), Cantwell (57'), Souttar (83')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Sangare (61'), de Jong (80')
Vertessen (87')

Preview: Rangers vs. PSV Eindhoven - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Rangers vs. PSV Eindhoven - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Champions League clash between Rangers and PSV Eindhoven, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

In a repeat of last year's Champions League playoff round encounter, Rangers and PSV Eindhoven reconvene for the right to enter the draw for the group stage, starting with Tuesday's first leg at Ibrox.

Michael Beale's men sent Servette packing to move one step closer to continental football in the autumn, while Sturm Graz were no match for their Dutch counterparts.


Match preview

PSV's hopes of Champions League group-stage qualification were dashed by Rangers at this point in the preliminary rounds last year, and Gers fans will no doubt be hoping that lightning can strike twice on the European landscape, but the manner of their two-legged success against Servette in round three was hardly convincing.

Beale's side travelled to Geneva boasting a slender 2-1 lead from their opening encounter, and Servette were on course to prolong the tie thanks to Dereck Kutesa's 22nd-minute opener, but Rangers rightly turned to their captain for second-half inspiration.

Having already made the net ripple from the penalty spot in the first leg, James Tavernier headed home the equalising goal just five minutes into the second period, thus confirming Rangers' progression via a 3-2 aggregate scoreline before Greenock Morton awaited them in the Scottish League Cup.

Once again, a much-changed Rangers outfit recovered from a one-goal deficit to come up trumps, as a frenzied 15-minute period in the second half saw Grant Gillespie open the scoring from 12 yards, but Cyriel Dessers's own spot kick and a Danilo strike turned the tide.

Now on the verge of back-to-back Champions League group-stage appearances for the first time since 2011, the Glasgow giants have only ever suffered one qualification elimination at the final hurdle - losing 3-0 over two legs to AEK Athens in 1994 - but Beale's men will be wary of a vengeful PSV.

Even with a seemingly unassailable 4-1 lead from the first leg of their third-round battle with Sturm Graz, Peter Bosz's men did not rest on their laurels during last week's Austrian sojourn, recovering from a 1-0 deficit to put another trio of strikes past their beleaguered foes.

A William Boving opener gave the Sturm Graz faithful faint hope of an improbable turnaround, but such optimism was quickly dashed by Joey Veerman and Luuk de Jong, before Ricardo Pepi came off the bench to cap off a 7-2 aggregate win for the Eindhoven powerhouses.

Four days on from that 3-1 beating, PSV posted an identical triumph over Vitesse in the Eredivisie to maintain their unblemished start to the campaign - although Bosz's side shipped the first goal again on that occasion - and they have assumed position at the top of their domestic table at the time of writing.

Also putting Feyenoord to the sword in the Dutch Super Cup earlier this month, PSV - who are not missing Ruud van Nistelrooy too much - head to Ibrox with a perfect record of five wins from five in 2023-24, and it is now 22 games without defeat for Bosz's men since their Europa League humbling versus perennial winners Sevilla in February.

The visitors were bumped down to the second tier of continental football courtesy of a 3-2 aggregate loss to Rangers in last year's Champions League playoff round, where the Gers held out for a 2-2 draw on home soil before silencing the Philips Stadion crowd through Antonio Colak's 60th-minute strike.

Rangers Champions League form:


Rangers form (all competitions):
  • L
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • W


PSV Eindhoven Champions League form:


PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • W



Team News

Rangers' Jose Cifuentes was a little worse for wear after the second leg against Servette, but the 24-year-old was fit enough to play the full 90 at the weekend, where Beale unsurprisingly handed starts to several fringe players.

Tavernier and Borna Barisic were among the notable names to miss out against Greenock Morton, but the full-back duo are primed to return this weekend, alongside Todd Cantwell, Ryan Jack and John Souttar.

The hosts are still coping without Ben Davies (illness) and Ridvan Yilmaz for the time being, while cruciate ligament victim Steve Davis remains on the long road to rehabilitation.

As far as PSV are concerned, left-back Mauro Junior is now eligible to play in Europe once more after serving a two-game continental suspension, but the 24-year-old is also nursing a knee problem and is unlikely to feature either way.

Bosz could therefore be facing an unwanted selection dilemma at left-back, as Patrick van Aanholt was forced off with an unspecified concern in the second half of Saturday's win over Vitesse, so right-back Shurandy Sambo may have to fill in on that flank.

Fellow defenders Armando Obispo and Fredrik Oppegard are missing too, and PSV are also sweating over the fitness of Noa Lang after the attacker missed the weekend's success with an unknown complaint.


Rangers possible starting lineup:
Butland; Tavernier, Souttar, Goldson, Barisic; Cifuentes, Jack, Cantwell; Sima, Danilo, Dessers

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:
Benitez; Teze, Ramalho, Boscagli, Sambo; Veerman, Sangare; Bakayoko, Til, Vertessen; De Jong


We say: Rangers 1-1 PSV Eindhoven

Even if Rangers can break the deadlock in front of a bouncing Glasgow crowd, PSV are well-versed in coming from behind and have a significant psychological incentive to right the wrongs of last year.

We would back a fully-fit and goal-happy PSV squad to just about edge this encounter, but fresh fitness concerns may force Bosz's men to accept a draw against Rangers' well-rested big-hitters, which would still leave the Dutch giants in a strong position for their reunion in Eindhoven on August 30.


body check tags ::

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


amp_article__521673 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2023-08-20 16:19:50:
html db last update - 2023-08-20 16:19:50 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Transfer rumours: Adams to Bournemouth, Kamara to Leeds, Tah to West Ham
Super sub Sorloth! Atletico go top of La Liga with Barcelona late show
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Celtic1514104444043
2RangersRangers1611232891935
3Aberdeen17104331211034
4Motherwell178272327-426
5Dundee UnitedDundee Utd166642519624
6St Mirren187382429-524
7Dundee175482730-319
8Hibernian184682430-618
9Kilmarnock184681935-1618
10Ross County183691435-2115
11St Johnstone1742112032-1214
12Hearts1734101826-813
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Video: Arsenal's Saka leaves on crutches after Palace injury

1

VA

Six of the best: Arsenal set English football record in Palace win

2

SO

Usyk overcomes Fury in captivating world title rematch, reveals next step

NEW

3

UO

Transfer trouble? Barcelona star 'rebelling against' January move

NEW

4

TT

Jesus is risen: Striker continues resurgence as five-star Arsenal pummel Palace

5

JI

Injury boost! Real Madrid welcome defender back into squad for Sevilla clash

6

IB

Team News: Real Madrid vs. Sevilla injury, suspension list, predicted XIs

7

TN

Barcelona, Arsenal 'set to battle' for French midfielder 'next summer'

8

BA

Bukayo blow: Arsenal star taken off injured in Palace clash

9

BB

Team News: Spurs vs. Liverpool injury, suspension list, predicted XIs

10

TN


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .