One more step to the top flight
If you haven’t automatically qualified for the Champions League, it’s a very tough road to fight your way through the qualifying rounds. Six slots are still up for grabs for the group stage before the crucial playoffs. Glasgow Rangers and PSV Eindhoven are fighting for one of these coveted slots. Both missed out on direct qualification as their respective country’s runners-up.
For the Scots, it would be a comeback after twelve long years without participation in the premier league and the interim fall into the lowlands of national football after insolvency. The Dutch were last allowed to play in the concert of the greats in the 2018/19 season. Both clubs have a very big name in European football.
Rangers won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1972, while Eindhoven triumphed in the European Champions’ Cup in 1988. Both teams are currently at a similar level and it is therefore a difficult task to predict the winner of this first leg between Glasgow Rangers and PSV Eindhoven
It is noticeable that in the matches between these two teams, whether in the national leagues or in the European Cup, there have always been a relatively large number of goals.
Glasgow Rangers – Statistics & current form
As a player, Giovanni van Bronckhorst once won the Champions League with FC Barcelona in 2006. As a coach, he led Rangers to the final of the Europa League last season. The next step would be to qualify for the group stage of the top flight. But the Scots still have two very difficult games to play, in which the Rangers coach will meet many old companions.
Small winning streak for Rangers
For twice at least 90 minutes, however, the friendships will rest. Rangers need to build on the good results from recent games. There have been four wins in five competitive games this season. The only defeat for the Scottish runners-up came against Union Saint-Gilloise in the qualifiers for the UEFA Champions League. However, they have recently won three in a row, so you may consider playing the odds on a home win in the first leg between Glasgow Rangers and PSV Eindhoven.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side are second in the Scottish Premier League without a loss. With nine points, Rangers are behind local rivals Celtic on goal difference. At the weekend, there was an unchallenged 4-0 home win against St. Johnstone. Malik Tillman, Antonio Colak, Scott Arfield and Tom Lawrence were the Rangers’ goalscorers.
Antonio Colak should also be in pole position for the striker’s spot. Alfredo Morelos will again be on the bench. Nnamdi Ofoborh is still out of the game after his heart problems. For injury reasons, Giovanni van Bronckhorst will have to do without Ianis Hagi and probably also Kemar Roofe on Tuesday.
Expected line-up of Glasgow Rangers:
McLaughlin – Barisic, Davies, Goldson, Tavernier – Lundstram, Tillman, Jack – Matondo, Wright – Colak – Coach: van Bronckhorst
Last matches played by Glasgow Rangers:
Premiership
13/08/2022 – Rangers 4 – 0 St. Johnstone
Champions League Qualifier
10/08/2022 – Rangers 3 – 0 Royale Union Saint-Gilloise
Premiership
06/08/2022 – Rangers 2 – 0 Kilmarnock
Champions League Qualifier
03/08/2022 – Royale Union Saint-Gilloise 2 – 0 Rangers
Premiership
30/07/2022 – Livingston 1 – 2 Rangers
PSV Eindhoven – Statistics & current form
The Dutch suffered a major personnel bloodletting before the season. Besides coach Roger Schmidt, Mario Götze, Eran Zahavi, Ritsu Doan or Bruma have left the club. Cody Gakpo and Philipp Max could still follow. A place in the top flight would therefore be very important to give the players arguments to stay in Eindhoven after all.
Undefeated in competitive matches
The start of the season was nevertheless outstanding. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s team is still unbeaten in its five competitive matches this season, including winning the Dutch Supercup against Ajax Amsterdam and beating Monaco in Champions League qualifying. PSV are top of the Eredivisie table with six points after two matchdays.
Thus, a forecast for an away win between Glasgow Rangers and PSV Eindhoven would certainly be possible. The Dutch side won 5-2 at Go Ahead Eagles in the league last weekend, with Armando Obispo, Xavi Simmons (2), Luuk de Jong and Joey Veerman all scoring for Eindhoven. After an early red card for the Eagles, however, PSV also had a relatively easy game.
Ruud van Nistelrooy will send a team onto the pitch that, on balance, does not have the most international experience. With Olivier Boscagli, Mauro Junior, Noni Madueke, Yorbe Vertessen and Carlos Vinicius, the coach will also have to do without some important players. Therefore, it looks as if Eindhoven will play with almost the same formation as in their last away win against the Go Ahead Eagles.
Predicted line-up of PSV Eindhoven:
Benitez – Oppegard, Obispo, Teze, Mwene – Sangare, Ledezma – Gakpo, Simons, Bakayoko – de Jong – Coach: van Nistelrooy
Last matches played by PSV Eindhoven:
Eredivisie
13/08/2022 – Go Ahead Eagles 2 – 5 PSV Eindhoven
Champions League Qualifier
10/08/2022 – PSV Eindhoven 3 – 2 AS Monaco
Eredivisie
07/08/2022 – PSV Eindhoven 4 – 1 Emmen
Champions League Qualifier
03/08/2022 – AS Monaco 1 – 1 PSV Eindhoven
Super Cup
31/07/2022 – Ajax Amsterdam 3 – 5 PSV Eindhoven
Glasgow Rangers – PSV Eindhoven Direct comparison / H2H record
Glasgow Rangers and PSV Eindhoven have been drawn three times in the European Cup. This results in six matches from the European Champion Clubs’ Cup, the Champions League and the Europa League. The direct comparison favours the Scots, who are 3:1 ahead after victories. Two games ended in a draw.
The last two meetings took place in the Europa League round of 16 in the 2010/11 season. The first leg was played in Eindhoven and ended goalless. In the second leg at Ibrox Park, the Dutch won 1-0. Jeremain Lens scored the golden goal. At that time, however, both teams hardly had the quality in their squads that they have today.
Glasgow Rangers – PSV Eindhoven Tip
The start of the season has been very similar for both opponents. In their national leagues, Rangers and PSV Eindhoven have won everything so far and are at the top without a loss. In the Champions League qualifiers, both teams reached the third round and knocked Saint-Gilloise and Monaco out of the competition respectively.
The only thing missing is the final step for a comeback in the top flight. We think that both teams will definitely meet on equal terms. Small things will decide the whole pairing. We believe that no decision will be made in the first leg on Tuesday.
After many recent goals involving both teams, it is not impossible that more than 2.5 goals will be scored. We can well imagine that this match will end with a 2:2. We do not think it is very likely that there will be a winner in this first leg and therefore we have decided to play the betting odds on a draw between Glasgow Rangers and PSV Eindhoven.
