The managers have changed and the teams have altered. Now PSV Eindhoven need to transform their Champions League fortunes.
The Eredivisie giants head into their fixture with Rangers in a familiar position. It was at this stage of the competition last term that they secured a 2-2 draw at Ibrox and went into the return on home soil with victory in their grasps and group football in their sights.
Just 90 minutes later, it was Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side who were celebrating as Antonio Colak earned a famous win and a seat at the top table of the European game. Now Rangers are aiming to repeat the trick under the guidance of Michael Beale.
It is a side that are coached by Peter Bosz that Rangers are attempting to overcome. It has been a summer of significant rebuilding at Ibrox and PSV have gone through their own period of remodelling following the departure of Ruud van Nistelrooy as manager.
Bosz is well aware of the similarities in the situation. He won’t, though, read too much into it as he targets a very different outcome second time around.
“If both teams don’t make mistakes it will be 0-0,” Bosz said as he described himself as ‘full of confidence’ ahead of the second leg. “In games there are always players who make mistakes. Sometimes we try to force players to make mistakes by pressing them. This is what football is all about.
“You try not to make so many mistakes and if you make mistakes, make them in areas where it’s not immediately dangerous.
“No there’s no mental coaching involved. I’ve told you already I wasn’t there last season so for me it’s not an issue.
“The more and more you guys talk about it, maybe it can enter the heads of the players a little. But for me, it’s a completely different situation.
“PSV have a different coach and some different players. For Rangers, it’s the same.
“It is important players learn from the mistakes they make. We made some mistakes last week and if we do that better it will help us a lot for the game we’re going to play.
“So for me it’s not the same situation, it’s not the same game. It’s a completely new game. It’s not easy but for me it’s nothing to do with last year.”
Rangers were left with feelings of what might have been last week as goals from Abdallah Sima and Rabbi Matondo were enough to raise confidence levels but not enough to earn a win at Ibrox.
Ibrahim Sangare cancelled out Sima’s opener and Luuk de Jong netted just minutes after Matondo had raised the roof. In the end, a draw was a fair result.
Rangers found a way to silence the Philips Stadion crowd last season before stunning them as Colak netted and Van Bronckhorst’s side progressed. Bosz knows he needs his twelfth man on board.
“Not exactly the same because now we are playing at home in front of our fans, which is a big difference from playing in Glasgow,” Bosz said when asked what kind of game he was expecting.
“This will affect the game. But on the other hand I still believe that we will have more of the ball than Rangers, it is about what we do with the ball when we have it.
“No I don’t believe that [we have to get the trust of the fans]. I think this team already has the confidence of its audience. In the game we played against home the friendly against Forest, the home game against Sturm Graz, even Utrecht, I think the fans know what they can expect from us and they will see it.
“Absolutely [the fans can help]. It’s a big difference from Glasgow.”
As was the case last term, PSV head into their defining night on the continent with transfer speculation swirling around some of their most influential operators.
Cody Gakpo was the man of the moment last term as he was touted with big money moves to the Premier League. This time it is Sangare and winger Johan Bakayoko that are catching the eye and making the headlines.
It is a situation that Bosz could do without. It is one that the Dutchman must put to one side, though, if PSV are to avoid another costly exit to Rangers.
“I only talk about Rangers,” Bosz said. “We don’t talk about these other issues.
“Does it affect my work? Absolutely. It’s not good. I think if the season starts, it must be over.
“It’s not helping the fans who bought jerseys with players’ names, it doesn’t help the players themselves or the coaches. But it’s modern football.
“I work in the circumstances. I talk to my sporting director and see what the team needs. Also I talk to him if there are players we want to let go.
“Like I said, it’s football. But in this week, we didn’t communicate about these issues in any way because this game is too important.
“In every game there is a healthy tension. But this is something you look forward to.
“These kind of games are the best games to play or manage in. So let’s enjoy it and hopefully we can win it.”
