Rangers will aim to finally get their first win in the league phase of the Europa League this season as they travel to the Groupama Arena to take on Hungarian champions Ferencvaros on Thursday night.
Rangers’ hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Europa League are hanging by a thread, as they have picked up a disappointing one point from their five matches (W0-D1-L4).
Despite having both a goal and a man advantage, the Teddy Bears failed to get their first win in the league phase last time out, as they drew 1-1 at home to Braga.
After also drawing their following two Premiership encounters, Danny Rohl’s men returned to winning ways last Saturday, as they won 0-3 away at Kilmarnock, on an evening that two of my selections landed.
Ferencvaros, on the other hand, look set to reach the knockout stages of this competition, as they have taken 11 points from their opening five matches (W3-D2-L0).
After rescuing a point at home to Viktoria Plzen on MD1, The Greens went on to record three consecutive wins away at Genk and FC Salzburg, and at home to Ludogorets, before drawing 1-1 in Istanbul against Fenerbahce, leaving them sixth in the league phase table.
After enduring a sluggish start to their domestic campaign, ex-Celtic loanee Robbie Keane has seen his side win five of their last six matches to move two points clear at the top of the Hungarian NB I table.
How the bookies view it: Ferencvaros favourites
Given both sides’ contrasting fortunes in this competition, it comes as little surprise to see Ferencvaros favourites for this clash, with bet365 pricing a home success at 4/5.
Bet365 have Rangers at 10/3 to claim their first win in this competition, whilst the draw is 11/4.
Head to head: History on Gers side
These two clubs last met in the first round of the Cup Winners’ Cup back in the 1960/61 season, with Rangers prevailing 5-4 on aggregate.
Players to watch: Varga to bag again?
Barnabas Varga has enjoyed an impressive season so far, with the big striker scoring 19 goals across his 26 appearances in all competitions for the reigning Hungarian champions.
Nine of those goals have come in European competitions for the Hungarian international – including in three of Ferencvaros’s last four Europa League contests – and the 1/1 on offer at bet365 for him to get on the scoresheet, once again, appeals to me.
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Predicted line-ups:
Ferencvaros will be without goalkeeper Debra Dibusz who is injured, whilst Stefan Gartenmann, Alex Toth and Krisztian Lisztes are doubts.
Rangers will be missing a few players here, with John Souttar, Derek Cornelius, Oliver Antman and Bailey Rice all injured, whilst Mo Diomande is suspended and Nedim Bajrami is ineligible.
Ferencvaros: Grof, Cisse, Raemaekers, Szalai, Makreckis, Otvos, Zachariassen, Nagy, Bamidele, Levi, Varga
Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Djiga, Fernandez, Meghoma, Barron, Raskin, Moore, Gassama, Aasgaard, Miovski
Anything else catch the eye?
Ferencvaros’s fixtures at the Groupama this season have been full of goals, with their 13 matches in all competitions on home soil averaging an impressive 3.77 goals per game.
Over 2.5 Goals has paid out in 12 (92%) of them, and a repeat pays 4/5 at bet365 which appeals to me.
What’s more, six of Rangers’ last eight Premiership fixtures have also seen Over 2.5 Goals pay out, as have both of their league phase contests on the road.
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