Rangers may have slapping Ross County 6-0 but Philippe Clement’s side still did not end Saturday with the most goals to their name across European football.
Because while the ‘unbelievable’ Cyriel Dessers and the scintillating Rabbi Matondo were ripping Don Cowie’s side apart like wet tissue paper, Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven would go one step further over in Almere.
7-1 was the final score at the Yanmar Stadium.
And, if the multiverse theory is correct and really there is an infinite number of differing realities, it is not beyond the realms of possibility two of PSV’s goalscorers could be floating around somewhere in Rangers blue rather than those iconic red and white stripes.
Former Rangers ace Malik Tillman shining at PSV Eindhoven
Speaking to the Mindset For Sport Podcast last week, former Ibrox boss Mick Beale opened up on the frustrating loss of Malik Tillman during the summer of 2023.
Rangers had agreed a deal with Bayern Munich that would have allowed them to sign the silky America international on a permanent basis for around £6 million.
But Bayern, feeling that there was an even bigger profit to be made following Tillman’s super season in Glasgow, bought themselves out of that arrangement before green-lighting a £12 million move to PSV a year later.
“Malik Tillman was a player who we wanted to buy,” explains Beale. “But Bayern Munich trumped us and part of the agreement was they could buy him back.”
Tillman might have been denied the Premiership title at Rangers by a near-faultless Celtic outfit but any frustration he felt about that was dispelled in 2023/24 as PSV cruised to the Eredivisie title.
Increasingly influential throughout a dominant campaign – coach Peter Bosz even went as far as to label Tillman a ‘genius’ – he ended the season with nine goals and 15 assists.
The early signs suggest that Tillman is picking up where he left off this term, too.
After netting on the opening day, Tillman maintained his goal-every-other-game record in 2024/25 as he latched onto a pinpoint through ball from Joey Veerman (himself formerly a Rangers target) before converting from close range.
Couhaib Driouech snubbed Rangers for Eredivisie champions
Tillman and Veerman are not the only PSV players with a Rangers connection.
“There was a lot of interest, and also very concrete. Rangers, Sevilla and Sporting Lisbon came in. Those are absolutely all beautiful clubs, in beautiful leagues, but I wanted to go to PSV.”
That is what Couhaib Driouech told Voetbal International in July after swapping Excelsior for PSV in a deal worth £3 million.
“That’s why the choice was clear to me,” the twinkle-toed Moroccan added. “I wanted to go to PSV.”
After missing out on a January switch to the Phillips Stadium, Driouech was understandably keen to make up for lost time in PSV colours. And, following up a stunning solo goal last weekend, Driouech continues to do exactly that.
After some sterling work from Hirving Lozano, Rangers’ one-that-got-away joined Tillman on the scoresheet with a volley which bobbled into the far corner.
To cap a sparkling cameo, Driouech then forced an own goal with some trademark wing-play before assisting Ricardo Pepi for PSV’s seventh of the evening, celebrating each of his successful crosses as if he had stuck the ball away himself.
At least, with Dessers and Matondo ripping into Ross County, Rangers had plenty to cheer themselves on a goal-filled Saturday.
But, still, it’s difficult to watch PSV cruising to emphatic win after emphatic win and not wonder what might have been.
