Rangers’ Champions League opponents PSV gain advantage with fixture switch
Rangers will be at a disadvantage for the second year running against PSV in a UEFA Champions League qualifier match.
It is a case of deja vu for Gers supporters as history has now repeated itself and the club will need to overcome another setback in order to reach the UEFA Champions League group stages.
Once again, PSV and Rangers will meet in a qualifier to make the group stages of Europe’s elite competition and the Dutch side have had their fixture in between the two legs rearranged to make life a little easier, just as they did last year.
As confirmed by the KNVB, the Dutch football authorities, via Twitter and their official website (16 August), PSV’s fixture against Go Ahead Eagles, which was due to be played on Saturday 26 August, will now be moved to 27 September.
This is so that PSV, who finished runners-up in the Dutch league last season, can have more time to prepare for their second-leg clash against Michael Beale’s side.
Beale and his players will welcome their opponents from the Netherlands to Ibrox this coming Tuesday 22 August, before meeting again at the Philips Stadion eight days later.
While PSV will have time to prepare for the second leg, giving their full attention to the crucial European fixture, the Gers will be on the road, making a long trip north to Dingwall to take on Ross County, on the same Saturday that their European opposition were also meant to be in action.
Last year, Rangers were able to overcome this disadvantage and edge out PSV 3-2 on aggregate, and Beale will be hoping he can lead his side to a similar result.
The KNVB allows its clubs to indicate before the season starts if they would like the opportunity to rearrange fixtures, should they advance in their qualifiers.
This is a common theme across European countries except in the United Kingdom, where teams are often forced to contend with packed schedules, potentially harming their chances at progression in Europe.
There was great debate when the same happened last year with many suggesting that Rangers should attempt to have their matches postponed. It will therefore be interesting to see if Beale takes a similar stand to his predecessor Giovanni van Bronckhorst when he is inevitably asked about the situation.
Last year Van Bronckhorst disagreed with those suggesting a fixture reschedule, insisting he was happy as things were.
“I never thought about that because of course we are in a demanding schedule but I think we have enough time to prepare for all the games we play in,” Van Bronckhorst said, in quotes reported by The Sun (16 August).
“So, no, I didn’t have any doubt in my mind that we should ask for the game to be cancelled or switched.”
Beale might have a differing opinion, but ultimately it will prove irrelevant and the boss will be focused on the task at hand.
With the first leg being in Scotland, it makes that game even more massive now and the Rangers faithful will need to make sure the ground is as noisy as ever if they want to repeat last year’s heroics and give themselves the best chance when they head to the Netherlands to meet a rested PSV side.
In other Rangers news, Chris Sutton has shared a Rangers transfer verdict.