When Rangers and PSV met in a Champions League play-off last season, Malik Tillman was the man who made the difference. He was the best player in light blue.
Twelve months later the USA international has switched sides. And, over two games for a multi-talented PSV outfit, he managed a mere three minutes on the pitch as a late substitute.
Nothing sums up the difference between these two teams more than that. In every area of the pitch, PSV had superior footballers.
Players who will go for tens of millions of Euros to the best teams in Europe, just as Cody Gakpo did last season.
That’s why the Dutch giants will be playing Champions League football until Christmas, while Rangers must settle for the Europa League.
Rangers produced a calamitous performance as they crashed out of the Champions League, losing 5-1 on the night and 7-3 on aggregate to PSV Eindhoven in the play-offs
It was a chastening evening for Gers boss Michael Beale as his side dropped into the Europa League instead of enjoying the prestige and money of the top competition
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There’s an argument for that being the best place to be. They might actually win a couple of games there and give Scotland’s coefficient a much-needed boost in the face of an assault from Turkey after Galatasaray reached the group stage of the elite competition on Tuesday night.
But there are more urgent matters for Rangers to think about after this sobering defeat than the greater good. They have more pressing concerns.
Before a ball was kicked, this was described as the biggest week of Michael Beale’s Rangers tenure.
And, after a torrid night, a Dutch outfit reaching the group stages for the first time since 2018 were not the only team feeling a good deal better about the days and weeks ahead.
Make no mistake, this result will do wonders for the morale of a struggling Celtic ahead of Sunday’s first Old Firm clash of the season. And for Brendan Rodgers, one glance at the video of this game will tell him which areas to go at hell for leather.
On nights like this, there’s a lot to be said for having a few wide boys around the place. PSV coach Peter Bosz proved it when he capitalised on one of the many areas where Rangers couldn’t match their opponents. Width.
James Tavernier must have suffered night terrors over the thought of Dutch international winger Noa Lang coming at him time after time in his slumber.
Backed by Sergino Dest, the United States international left-back signed on a season loan from Barcelona, this was a torrid night in defence for the Englishman.
Sam Lammers rues a missed opportunity as Rangers crashed out on Wednesday night
Connor Goldson and the whole Rangers back line struggled to cope with PSV’s exciting players
It didn’t go a great deal better for Borna Barisic on the other side. When it comes to providing attacking threat in the wide areas, Beale relies hugely on his two 30-something full-backs. The problem comes when they have to take care of the day job against teams like PSV.
Liverpool, Burnley and Brentford are sniffing around the 20-year-old right winger Johan Bakayoko. From the moment the Belgian swung in a tantalising cross for skipper Luuk de Jong for PSV’s first big chance at the back post, it was obvious where Rangers had a problem.
Instance the goal Beale’s side lost after 35 minutes. Jack Butland pulled off a huge save from the brilliant two-goal Ismael Saibari two minutes earlier.
Instead of heeding the warning, Tavernier and Jose Cifuentes were caught ball-watching and Joey Veerman had the run of the left flank to chip the ball into the area. This time Saibari made no mistake.
When Barisic pulled up five minutes into the second half, it looked like his calf screaming for mercy. With Ridvan Yilmaz missing, the timing of the injury could hardly be worse. Dujon Sterling, signed as a right-back, provided cover.
While throwing him in against Celtic would be less than ideal, there may be no alternative.
James Tavernier had briefly given Rangers a glimmer of hope after pulling the second leg score back to 2-1, only for PSV to score their third of five goals just two minutes later
Ismaek Saibari (centre) scored a brace on an impressive night for the Dutch side
When Barisic left the fray, PSV began to enjoy themselves. The visitors were so stretched on the flanks, Castore should have been throwing on replacement shirts.
Man-of-the-match Saibari tapped in De Jong’s first-time hook across the face of goal from another devastating cross from Jordan Teze and it was goodnight Vienna. The fourth and fifth goals — both preventable — summed up the general level of defending across the 90 minutes.
For all of 91 seconds, Beale’s side threatened to play a get out of jail card. Two goals down and heading out of the Champions League at 2-0, Tavernier did what Tavernier does.
Storming forward to creep in at the back post, the skipper narrowed the deficit. He nabbed Beale’s men the briefest of lifelines. The trouble is that, at this level, a minute and a half of Dutch courage isn’t enough. Not even close.
Scotland have never had two teams in the group stage of the Champions League two seasons running. And, after the Ibrox side made it eight defeats from their last 10 away games in Europe, it won’t happen this year either.
Noa Lang tormented James Tavernier throughout as Rangers struggled to handle PSV’s width
It’s little wonder winger Johan Bakayoko is attracting interest from Premier League clubs
PSV had never beaten a Scottish side in Eindhoven. A fine team who could hook one or two bigger fish in the groups, this was quite the way to break their duck.
The most bruising way imaginable to exit the Champions League, the Dutch giants were worthy, deserved winners.
Rangers now drop into the Europa League as a pot two side, where they can expect to earn £12million before ticket sales and cash for points won.
Defeat will have repercussions for Scotland’s club coefficient as well. Galatasaray’s progress to the Champions League triggered a drop from ninth to tenth.
Unless the Scottish teams playing group stage football find a way to claim enough scalps and reclaim ninth place, the runner-up of the SPFL will have another round of qualifying to endure from the season after next.
And, as Rangers learned on a bitterly disappointing night in the Netherlands, that offers no guarantee whatsoever of a happy ending.