Ruud van Nistelrooy has warned his PSV players they risk being ‘overwhelmed’ by the atmosphere at a packed out Ibrox next week.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United striker will bring his Eindhoven team to Glasgow for the first leg of a mouthwatering Champions League play-off against Rangers on Tuesday night. And Van Nistelrooy is already anticipating a red hot reception at a ground which is fast becoming a European fortress as Rangers attempt to make it back into the continent’s elite for the first time in 12 years.
He said: “The fact that Rangers made it into last season’s Europa League final makes them a fantastic team to play against in the Champions League play-off. But I need to explain this. The atmosphere at Ibrox can be overwhelming. I experienced it myself as a player many years ago and it has not changed. It will impress everybody. Right now we have to get rid of the euphoria we felt after beating Monaco in extra time in the last round.
“We grabbed this qualification in front of the gates of hell without playing well. We hardly got a foot on the ground. I’m not being pessimistic - I’m feeling optimistic - because we managed to get through despite not being good enough. But we are going to need a big improvement if we want to beat Rangers.”
And van Nistelrooy also lavished praise on former Holland team mate Gio Van Bronckhorst for the job he has done in less than a year as Rangers boss. He said: “I hold Giovanni in very high esteem as a person and not just as a coach. He is a wonderful man who I have known privately for a very long time.
“Our wives and our kids are friends and we all get on very well. But what I find remarkable is that Giovanni went into Feyenoord, turned that club around and brought it success. Now I see immediately he’s done the same thing at Rangers, bringing success and trophies and creating a great team. Whether you know him personally or not you have to admire him for it. And I certainly do.”
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