PSV vs Rangers betting tips: Back the Dutch hosts to avenge last year’s defeat
- Sergiu Baltuta
- 29 August 2023
PSV and Rangers will meet again to decide their Champions League fate with the scores locked at 2-2 after the first leg.
PSV and Rangers renew rivalries in a perfectly poised Champions League Qualifying round second leg tie after a 2-2 draw at Ibrox last week.
Date, KO time and TV coverage
Champions League Qualifier, Wednesday, August 30, Kick-off 8pm, live on TNT Sports
PSV vs Rangers betting tips
Bet:
Both teams to score
Key stats
PSV and Rangers have met 9 times in European competitions, including last week's game, with 7 of those matches taking place in the Champions League/European Cup.
Rangers have a good record against PSV, winning four of their previous eight meetings, drawing four, and losing just once, 1-0 in Glasgow in the Europa League in 2011.
Rangers qualified for the Champions League group stage last season but lost all six games against Napoli, Liverpool, and Ajax. They conceded 22 goals and scored only two.
Last season, PSV advanced to the Europa League group stage but were eliminated in the playoff round by Sevilla, who went on to win the competition.
PSV vs Rangers team news
Peter Bosz lost central defenders Andre Ramalho and Olivier Boscagli to injury in the first leg, adding to his side's existing injury woes.
The Dutch runners-up are already without Armando Obispo, Patrick van Aanholt, Mauro Junior and Fredrik Oppegard for Wednesday's game.
The hosts should line in a dangerous-looking 4-3-3 formation again, spearheaded by Johan Bakayoko, Guus Til, Noa Lang all in behind forward Luuk de Jong.
Rangers came through the weekend looking fighting fit, with existing injuries to Ben Davis and Ridvan Yilmaz looking like their only concerns.
Abdallah Sima, Danilo and Cyriel Dessers are all expected to continue in attack, with captain James Tavernier featuring and Jose Cifuentes recalled from the bench.
PSV vs Rangers betting preview
Just one year after their previous meeting, PSV and Rangers are once again competing for a spot in the Champions League group stage as they prepare to meet at Philips Stadion.
The situation is eerily similar to 2022, with the first leg at Ibrox ending in a 2-2 draw. A year ago, it was Rangers that pinched a 1-0 win on the road to qualify for the Champions League.
PSV kicked off the new season with a bang, winning the Supercup against their rivals Feyenoord 1-0 in their first game.
The Dutch side have won all their matches in the Champions League and Eredivisie leading up to the game in Glasgow, including a 4-1 win over Sturm Graz and a 3-1 win over Vitesse.
Unlike last year, PSV trailed twice in Scotland but fought their way back thanks to goals from Ibrahim Sangare and Luuk de Jong.
After eliminating the Swiss runners-up Servette over two legs, Rangers slipped in their Premier League opener, losing 1-0 to Servette.
Captain James Tavernier was Rangers' star player in the two-legged tie against Servette, scoring the opening goal in the first leg and the equaliser in the second.
The Gers seem to have put that disappointing SPL result behind them though, beating Livingston 4-0, Morton 2-1 and Ross County 2-0 in recent outings.
While PSV enjoyed the weekend off, Michael Beale opted to use largely the same starting eleven as the one deployed in the game in the first leg.
Abdallah Sima, Ryan Jack and Jose Cifuentes were the only players rested against County, but the former two did make an appearance from the bench.
There's no doubt this will be a big ask for Rangers, but both sides are in good form and looked evenly matched last week despite PSV dominating possession.
But we can't ignore the advantages of playing at home, a desire to avenge their defeat from last season and a week's rest. For these reasons, we're backing PSV to get the job done.
