'Brilliant' PSV await Rangers in Champions League as Sturm Graz boss gives rave review after first leg drubbing

A 'brilliant' PSV Eindhoven side lie in wait for Rangers if they make it through to the Champions League play-off round.

That's the view of stunned Sturm Graz boss Christian Ilzer, who could only watch on helplessly as the Dutch side hammered his Sturm Graz team 4-1 in the first leg of their third round qualifier. They perhaps should have won by more goals, with the winners facing Rangers or Servette for a place in the group stage.

Sturm boss Ilzer remained realistic while being full of praise for PSV after a chastising trip to the Netherlands. He said: "All compliments to PSV. Last season we lost 6-0 to Feyenoord, but there is no doubt in my mind PSV were better than them. This was the strongest opponent in my four years as a manager at this club. I thought they were brilliant. We didn't stand a chance and lost all confidence in our game.

"Now it's time to learn lessons from this evening. We have been given the opportunity to learn from an opponent like PSV. There was a huge difference in class between the teams.

."Of course, we have to believe we can turn it around in the second leg, but we have to be realistic here. We came up short in every area of the pitch."