PSV vs Rangers Predictions

• PSV have won 12 of their last 13 games at the Philips Stadion
• Rangers have won just one of their last 17 Champions League away games
• Both teams have scored in seven of PSV’s last ten Champions League wins

PSV out for revenge

There’s a sense of deja vu about the Champions League play-off tie between Rangers and PSV Eindhoven, which is delicately poised at 2-2 heading into the return leg in the Netherlands for the second season running.

Last term, Antonio Colak scored to secure a famous Gers win at the Philips Stadion as they went through to the group stage draw, but repeating that trick may prove tricky for Michael Beale’s men, who twice lost the lead at Ibrox last week.

Luuk de Jong’s late equaliser sent PSV home from Glasgow with a share of the spoils but it could have been so much more for Peter Bosz’s men after winning the shot count 20-11.

That was de Jong’s fifth goal of the season and third in as many games. He’s got a good record in Europe, bagging four times in the Champions League already and appeals as an anytime goalscorer option.

Despite last season’s loss, PSV, well rested after a weekend off, will back themselves to secure safe passage through to the group stages for the first time since the 2018-19 season on home soil, where they’ve won nine of their last ten games in all competitions.

Gers can play their part in lively second leg

Strum Graz were brushed aside 4-1 by PSV at the Philips Stadion in the last round of Champions League qualifying and while Rangers are a step up in class, they are rightly significant underdogs for the win.

Beale says his side have nothing to lose in Eindhoven and head into the clash off the back of a 2-0 win at Ross County, a result which stretched their current unbeaten run to six games.

Winning on the road domestically has proven far easier than in Europe though with the Light Blues held to a 1-1 draw by Servette in the last round of qualifying, while they were well beaten in all three of their Champions League group stage away games last season.

Their only away win in this competition since 2007 was the victory over PSV last term and a recent road record in all competitions featuring three defeats in their last seven outings doesn’t inspire much confidence.

However, Kemar Roofe’s goal-scoring return from injury against Ross County adds an important weapon to Beale’s arsenal and the Gers may not go down without a fight against a PSV side that’s kept two clean sheets in six games this season.