Tuesday, August 23, 2022 at 14:30• Jonathan van Haaster • Last update: 14:35

PSV has announced the selection for the crucial Champions League match with Rangers. The team of trainer Ruud van Nistelrooij has to do it according to the Eindhovens Dagblad without the injured Fredrik Oppegård, Richard Ledezma, Mauro Júnior, Yorbe Vertessen and the long absent Noni Madueke and Olivier Boscagli. The Eindhoven team played a 2-2 draw in Glasgow last week, so the diptych can still go either way.

Oppegård suffered an injury in training last Monday and is currently under investigation. Chances are he is out for the time being. The Norwegian’s absence is inconvenient, as PSV already has a number of defensive forces in the basket. According to the regional newspaper, Ledezma, Mauro Júnior and Vertessen have not yet trained with the group and are expected to need a few more weeks to rejoin. Carlos Vinicius is normally back against Rangers. The Brazilian was previously linked to a departure from North Brabant, but seems to remain.

Lately, De Herdgang has been talking a lot about Cody Gakpo. The left winger is in the explicit interest of Manchester United from trainer Erik ten Hag and it is expected that the native of Eindhoven will leave the club before the end of the transfer period. The interest in the the Dutch international is separate from his availability against Rangers; Gakpo is expected ‘just’ in the base, where he will probably form the attack with Luuk de Jong and Ismael Saibari. Van Nistelrooij says he was impressed by Gakpo at the press conference on Tuesday. “I’ve been working with him for eight weeks now and have never seen him behave differently. That’s very impressive for someone his age.”

PSV took a fairly good feeling with them to Eindhoven after last week’s draw. After Ibrahim Sangaré’s opening goal, Rangers recovered through goals from Antonio Colak and Tom Lawrence. Goalkeeper Walter Benítez made a hopeless mistake. Armando Obispo made sure that the error did not lead to a defeat with a nice header from a corner. The game in the Philips Stadium starts on Wednesday evening at 9 p.m. The winner will qualify for the group stage of the Champions League.