Rangers will face off against PSV Eindhoven in a tantalising Champions League Playoff which already has the script writers busy and the touch paper lit.
The Gers overcame the Eredivisie side to reach the group stages last season with another guaranteed £13.5m in prize money on the line for the winners of this season’s tie.
Qualifying for the Champions League brings with it riches and looking across the Playoff round, this is probably the hardest draw Rangers could’ve got with PSV Eindhoven hungry for revenge.
The Gers defeated PSV 1-0 at the Philips Stadion last season following a 2-2 draw in Glasgow to reach the Champions League for the first time in 12 years.
A gutted PSV Eindhoven will now have the chance to even up the score after demolishing Sturm Graz 7-2 on aggregate in their own Champions League QR3 clash.
Going to Austria following a 4-1 victory in the Netherlands, PSV Eindhoven dispatched Sturm Graz 3-1 in the second leg, coming from behind thanks to goals from Joey Veerman, Luuk de Jong and Ricardo Pepi.
Rangers have made the Champions League Playoff courtesy of a victory over Swiss outfit Servette, the club drawing 1-1 in Switzerland following a 2-1 victory at Ibrox.
After falling behind in the match, up stepped hugely influential Ibrox captain James Tavernier to nod in a priceless equaliser and guarantee the Gers a shot at PSV.
Champions League subplots as Rangers face PSV Eindhoven
PSV star Joey Veerman – a major target for Rangers in the summer of 2021 – was very salty in the aftermath of the Ibrox side’s Champions League Playoff win last season and is a subplot himself in this game.
But an even bigger one involves the man who made Antonio Colak’s winner in the Netherlands with Bayern Munich attacking midfielder Malik Tillman now at PSV Eindhoven.
Having spent last season on loan at Ibrox, the scriptwriters are watching on with intent as the USA international prepares to return to Rangers in a PSV shirt in the Champions League tie.
There is also the return of Rangers attacker Sam Lammers to PSV Eindhoven, the club he left to sign for Atalanta in a reported £7.7m deal three years ago.
If that wasn’t enough, Rangers are very familiar with PSV boss Peter Bosz having already faced the Dutch coach during his time in charge of both Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon.
It’s all pointing to a mouthwatering Champions League clash between Rangers and PSV Eindhoven and the eyes of Europe will be on Ibrox as the tie kicks off next week.
With the first leg set to take place at Ibrox on Tuesday 22nd August at 8pm GMT, the return in the Netherlands is eight days later (30/08) at the same kick off time. Both legs will be shown on TNT Sports.
Ahead of the game, there are transfer murmurs around the likes of Ibrahim Sangare and Johan Bakayoko but Rangers know that no matter who they face, PSV Eindhoven will prove sizeable Champions League foes.