Cyriel Dessers warns Rangers of fiery Champions League welcome as he foresees PSV playoff approach

Cyriel Dessers has warned Rangers they’ll be have to douse an Eindhoven inferno if they want to ignite their Champions League dream, writes Andy Newport in Eindhoven.

The Ibrox side fly out to Holland looking to repeat last year’s stunning play-off success over opponents PSV by reaping another golden £20million group-stage ticket. Michael Beale’s side claimed a 2-2 draw in Glasgow last week but Dessers reckons the Dutch outfit and their fevered fans will be looking to turn the heat up for the second leg.

Gers have already sampled the spicy Philips Stadion atmosphere having been forced to run a pyro gauntlet on their way into last year’s showdown. But former Feyenoord frontman Dessers is backing his side to handle the explosive reception once again.

He said: “The atmosphere will be on fire there as well, like it was at Ibrox. Ibrox tops it! The players at Rangers are used to the crowd at Ibrox, they have experience in the Champions League. I know they can handle this crowd as well. We will be ready and we will put in a good performance and hopefully that will be enough for us.”

PSV dominated the possession stats at Ibrox but it was Rangers who countered with devastating effect as they twice took the lead when Dessers teed up both Abdallah Sima and Rabbi Matondo to score.

Goals from Ibrahim Sangare and Luuk de Jong, however, have left the tie teetering on a knife edge. Gers gaffer Beale has taken heart from the way his side were able to go toe-to-toe with the Eredivisie giant. But Dessers doesn’t see PSV Peter Bosz changing his tactics for the return clash.

The Belgian-born Nigeria international - who netted three times against PSV in his final season with Feyenoord before sealing a move to Italy in the summer of 2022 -