Ridvan Yilmaz, Ben Davies ruled out of Rangers v Servette Champions League clash through injury
Rangers will be without Ridvan Yilmaz and Ben Davies through injury for the Champions League qualifier against Servette, Michael Beale has confirmed.
The Gers opened their 23/24 season with a poor 1-0 defeat to Kilmarnock but will be looking to put that behind them when they host Servette at Ibrox to try and progress into the Champions League group stages.
But they will have to do it without Turkish left-back Ridvan and central defender Davies, although both are due to return to training in the next week, Beale shared in his pre-match press conference.
“Ridvan Yilmaz will be available for selection before the Morton game (19 August), all going well,” he said.
“Ben Davies should return to training early next week.”
Glen Kamara, Kemar Roofe, Jon McLaughlin, Tom Lawrence and Fashion Sakala are also unavailable after being left out of the UEFA squad submitted by Beale last week.
No change
Neither player was available to play at the weekend in the defeat to Kilmarnock, so it’s more of the same for Beale and Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday.
Servette will be coming to be tight defensively and take the game back to Switzerland for the second leg, so we have to turn in a big performance in the first game to ensure we have a lead and a healthy cushion.
Borna Barisic has been poor for a while but his position at left-back looks safe for as long as Ridvan is injured and struggling, while Davies’ future at the club is up in the air right now.
The attack will need to see changes too after the poor showing at the weekend, and a recall for Todd Cantwell seems almost guaranteed as well as a first start for Danilo up front.
We need to see changes and an improved performance all over the pitch, but the injuries and absences we have are unlikely to make too much of a difference. No excuses.
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