PSV v Rangers predictions, betting odds and tips: Underdogs unlikely to roll over in Eindhoven

Where to watch PSV v Rangers

TNT Sports 1, 8pm Wednesday 

Best bet

Rangers or draw double chance
2pts 6-4 BoyleSports, Coral, Ladbrokes

PSV v Rangers odds

PSV 8-15
Rangers 5-1
Draw 7-2

Odds correct at time of publishing

PSV v Rangers team news

PSV
Centre-backs Olivier Boscagli and Armando Obispo are major doubts for the hosts, although fellow defender Andre Ramalho should be fit. Mauro Junior, Patrick van Aanholt and Fredrik Oppegard remain sidelined.

Rangers
Veteran midfielder Steven Davis is out but Ridvan Yilmaz has returned to training.

PSV v Rangers predictions

Rangers have been drawn against PSV in the Champions League playoff round for the second season running and the first leg of their tie at Ibrox finished 2-2, just as it did 12 months ago.

The Gers hope that their trip to Eindhoven follows the same script as 2022-23 when a second-half goal from Antonio Colak sealed their progress to the group stage.

Michael Beale's men led PSV twice in Glasgow last week and could cause problems for a depleted Dutch defence in Eindhoven, where Rangers or the draw looks a tempting price on the double-chance market.

PSV have to be respected, having beaten Feyenoord in the Dutch Super Cup, won their first two Eredivisie fixtures by two-goal margins, and eased past Sturm Graz 7-2 on aggregate in the third round of Champions League qualifying.

They have added Barcelona loanee Sergino Dest, Netherlands international Jerdy Schouten and former Rangers forward Malik Tillman, borrowed from Bayern Munich, to the squad who thumped Sturm Graz, although a reshuffled defence could leave them vulnerable.

Rangers had to dig in at Ibrox last week as PSV had 70 per cent of possession and Beale admitted that "against this level of opponent it's hard to have the game fully under control".

Striking the right balance between defence and attack will be crucial for the underdogs and Rangers full-backs James Tavernier and Borna Barisic, usually so influential going forward, erred on the side of caution at Ibrox.

Despite their meagre share of possession, the Gers matched PSV's tally of five shots on target and Brighton loanee Abdallah Sima scored a terrific opener for the hosts.

Rangers should have seen off Swiss side Servette by a wider margin than the 3-2 aggregate win they managed in the previous round.

And, while they were outclassed by Liverpool, Napoli and Ajax in last season's Champions League group stage, they reached the Europa League final in 2021-22, losing on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt after shocking Borussia Dortmund in the playoff round and RB Leipzig in the semi-finals.

There has been a significant turnover of playing and coaching staff at Ibrox since that memorable run but three of the back four from the Europa League final – Tavernier, Barisic and Connor Goldson – should start against PSV and Rangers are unlikely to be rolled over.

PSV's defensive injuries may mean midfielder Schouten has to start in an unfamiliar centre-back role with new arrival Dest, more comfortable as a right-back, playing at left-back, and those enforced changes could boost Rangers' hopes of a repeat of last season's Eindhoven triumph.

Key stat

PSV have not kept a clean sheet in any of their seven Champions League qualifying ties since the start of 2022-23.

Probable teams

PSV (4-2-3-1): Benitez; Teze, Ramalho, Schouten, Dest; Veerman, Sangare; Bakayoko, Saibari, Lang; De Jong
Subs: Tillman, Pepi, Til, El Ghazi, Sambo, Babadi, Vertessen

Rangers (4-3-1-2): Butland; Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Barisic; Raskin, Jack, Cifuentes; Cantwell; Sima, Dessers
Subs: Roofe, Yilmaz, Lawrence, Lundstram, Lammers, Danilo, Matondo

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