Rangers will use the experience of last season’s Europa League run to find a way past PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday.
Boss Gio van Bronckhorst is adamant that his team, which beat Borussia Dortmund in Germany and drew with Lyon in France on his watch last term, has the ability and mentality to handle the Champions League play-off shoot-out in the Philips Stadium. PSV are favourites after leaving Ibrox with a 2-2 draw on Tuesday but van Bronckhorst is convinced Gers can make his return to Holland a glory night for the Scots.
He said: “I’m a very positive person. Of course we are able to go through. We showed that last season that we can get a result away from home.” Van Bronckhorst admits his side will have to defend set pieces better, having conceded both goals at corners. But as he now prepares to take Rangers to Easter Road on Saturday, he knows that the return leg with PSV will be looming large in the thoughts of the Ibrox support which is desperate to see their favourites in the Champions League for the first time since 2011.
“It’s going to be a difficult game,” the Dutchman added. “It will be similar to the first game but I’m confident we can go through. “It’s still even. We go there and play for everything and that’s the group stage of the Champions League.
“But PSV are a quality side. If you want to go to the group stage in the last qualification round all the teams are good. This is the level. It’s about getting the details right and we will need to start well, be confident on the ball, and try to create as many chances as possible and be strong at (defending) set-pieces and be strong in attacking set-pieces.
“We have to pick the moments when you feel they are there to attack them like we did in the first half. Those are the moments you have to make sure you score goals. And in the difficult moments you have to be compact to make sure they are not going to score against you. That’s European football, that’s Champions League football and that’s what we have to do again next week.”
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