Former Rangers midfielder Malik Tillman has opened up to The Athletic about his year in Glasgow and the “intense” experience of playing in an Old Firm derby after spending a successful season on loan at the team last season.

The 21-year-old, who spent the previous season on loan from Bayern Munich, joined Rangers last year and helped the Ibrox giants win the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award after contributing four assists and 11 goals. Since then, he has transferred to PSV Eindhoven, who are presently leading the league by 10 points, in the Eredivisie under a similar contract.

 

In an interview with The Athletic, Tillman talked about his year in Scotland, but the topic soon shifted to the intensity of the Old Firm derbies and the intense rivalry between Celtic and his previous team.

“It was the entire crowd against you after the first game against Celtic, as far as I can recall. No more away fans were permitted inside the stadium. No one will applaud if you score. It was insane—quite unlike anything else,” Tillman said.

Despite playing four times against Celtic last season, the American international of German descent was unable to taste triumph as Rangers, led by Giovanni van Bronckhorst and then Michael Beale, struggled for form and finished the season in disappointing second place. Tillman acknowledged that playing in one of the most intense rivalries in the world was an experience unlike anything else he had had in his professional life.

“Whoa. “A lot of tension was present,” the midfield player remarked. While I was there, we sadly didn’t win any of them, but it was still a positive experience. We have a fierce rivalry with Feyenoord right here. Tillman continued, “In Glasgow, it’s more about other things like religion when the crowd fight and go a little wild.

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