The Rangers fans have travelled in their numbers once again for tonight’s crunch Champions League decider against PSV.
It is the Dutch side who will enjoy home advantage and the backing of a noisy crowd, with the roles reversed from last week at Ibrox when the teams played out a 2-2 draw.
The Philips Stadium is not totally unlike Ibrox, although slightly smaller, in that it is a traditional football ground with its four stands close to the pitch and conducive for a great atmosphere, especially under the lights.
The strongest backing for the Rood Witten (red and whites) will come from the East end of the ground where the most vocal element of PSV’s fans are based in a safe-standing section behind the net. From that position, the Rangers supporters will be housed in the top right hand corner, or top left if watching on TV from the main camera angle.
Throughout the day in Eindhoven, temperatures of around 30c will have made for a pleasant day and a few drinks as the Rangers support congregated in and around the central Markt area.
Not too far away is where the PSV fans gathered ahead of the Monaco game to build the atmosphere and set the tone ahead of their third round qualifier, a fortnight ago.
The scenes were captured on a mini-documentary for GiveMeSport, as part of their ‘Trek to Turkey’ series, profiling different clubs, games and venues on the road to the Champions League final in Istanbul, next May.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFygZ5tiCIU&ab_channel=GiveMeSport
The Philips Stadium is only around 15 minutes on foot from the very centre of Eindhoven, which in itself is a compact, very walkable area with all the usual amenities and outlets, that you would expect, as well as it’s main railway station.
It is not Amsterdam, nor does it want or claim to be, but there is a good vibe around the ‘city of light’ which has a long standing history like the football club of course, to the Philips company.
On previous occasions, Rangers have won and drawn against PSV in their own back yard but tonight will be a challenge against Ruud van Nistelrooy’s current side. Hopefully another Bobby Russell or Jorg Albertz will emerge in this particular chapter between the two clubs with a place in the Champions League groups stages and its riches on the line for the winner to take it all.