PSV EINDHOVEN and Rangers reconvene for the second leg of their Champions League qualification playoff tie at the Philips Stadion on Wednesday night.
The tie is delicately poised following a frantic 2-2 draw at Ibrox last Tuesday night, with our man Mark Walker delivering another profitable match preview in the process.
Last week's 2-2 draw was very much a case of déjà vu after these two familiar foes played out the same scorline in Glasgow just one year ago, with Rangers prevailing 1-0 on the return match to secure a spot in the money-spinning Champions League group stages.
Therefore, revenge will be in the air for PSV, who should be fresh ahead of this week's crunch second leg after they were afforded the weekend off by the Dutch FA as they prepare to try and punch their ticket to Europe's top table for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign.
Meanwhile, Rangers warmed up their trip to the Netherlands by earning their second league win of the season with a 2-0 win away at Ross County on Saturday.
It is clear to see that Michael Beale's new-look Light Blues are still a work in progress but things seem to be moving in the right direction following their opening day setback at Kilmarnock.
Outright Betting
PSV, who have avoided defeat in each of their 14 home matches since the turn of the year, are odds-on 8/15 (Bet 365) favourites to get the job done in normal.
Despite triumphing at this venue just 12 months ago, Rangers are 5/1 (Bet 365) outsiders to repeat the trick on Wednesday night while a repeat of last week's draw pays out at 7/2 (William Hill).
Betting Angles
I suspect this second leg could be closer than the odds suggest but I'm going to bypass the 1×2 market and instead side with a player props play.
We can get some 10/11 (William Hill) on PSV's Luuk de Jong in the Score or to Assist market and that looks like a nice alternative angle of attack.
The PSV skipper has made a storming start to the season, scoring five goals in five games, not to mention he has also chipped in with two assists for good measure.
Of course, one of those strikes came against Rangers at Ibrox last Tuesday night, and the former Barcelona striker also scored in both legs against Sturm Graz in the previous round.
In fact, this particular bet would have paid out in each of PSV's five competitive matches this season so far, and there is plenty of scope for a repeat on Wednesday night.
While Rangers are still firmly in the mix for a place in the lucrative Champions League group stages, Michael Beale's side have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their three continental contests this season so far.
It's also worth pointing out that the Light Blues' backline has been breached in 15 of their last 16 European assignments away from their Glasgow headquarters.
With all that in mind, backing the aforementioned de Jong to have goal involvement here in the shape of a goal or an assist stands out at 10/11 with William Hill.
This UEFA Champions League match between PSV and Rangers will be played on Aug 30, 2023 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best PSV vs Rangers prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
This could be a cracker if Rangers turn and grab an early goal, and whilst I think they can score I don’t believe PSV will be to strong overall.
We saw glimpses of the Dutch team and what they are capable of at Ibrox last week, and at home I’m expecting them to dominate large parts of this game, roared on by there frantic home fans.
As we saw last week PSV get corners and plenty of them. Especially at home, and this is an angle I want to get behind along with goals.
My suggestion here is Over 1.5 PSV goals and Over 5.5 PSV corners at 21/20 with Bet365.
One corner short, frustrating as there was about 25 minutes to get this…