Rangers have early Europa League advantage over Dortmund
Rangers face a tough trip to Germany on Thursday when they take on Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League – but they have been given an early advantage.
The second-placed Bundesliga side named a full-strength side for their trip to the capital to face Union Berlin including England star Jude Bellingham and club captain Marco Reus.
Goal machine Erling Haaland was not involved in the squad as he continues to try and recover from a hip injury in time to face the Light Blues.
Rangers on the other hand were heavily rotated for their Scottish Cup tie away at League Two Annan Athletic, ensuring their star players, such as Alfredo Morelos, Joe Aribo and Ryan Kent, are all fit to play BVB.
It might be a small or even insignificant factor in the tie but given the German’s power-packed team, Giovanni van Bronckhorst will take whatever they can get their hands on.
They did have the chance to rest some of their stars as Reus scored twice within half an hour for Marco Rose’s side.
An added worry for Dortmund too was the absence of Gio Reyna from the squad through illness.
The American teenager has been turning heads in the Bundesliga but he could be another key absentee from Thursday’s clash.
If Rangers play at their best, there is no reason why they can’t cause a huge upset in the Europa League and dump the former Champions League finalists out of the competition.
It’s most important that they don’t lose the tie in the first leg with the raucous Ibrox crowd ready and waiting to roar the Gers home in the return leg one week later.
This could be the moment fans have been waiting for and van Bronckhorst will make sure the players don’t let them down.
In other Rangers news, Annan’s manager thinks the Gers failed despite their comfortable 3-0 win at Galabank.