After an impressive first-leg win in Germany, Rangers will look to get the win that will book them a place in the next round of the UEFA Europa League when they welcome Borussia Dortmund to Ibrox on Thursday.
Venue: Ibrox Stadium
Key Statistics
Rangers have an admirable home record against German clubs in UEFA action (W13, D6, L4).
The hosts have on their last nine home games in all competitions.
Rangers have progressed from all 19 UEFA ties in which they won an away first leg.
They have kept nine clean sheets in a row at home heading into this tie.
Borussia Dortmund have scored in each of their last ten away games in all competitions.
The visitors have lost just two of their last 14 UEL away games (W7, D5).
Head to head
This will be the eighth time both teams will be meeting. In the past seven meetings, BVB have just one win while Rangers have two wins (D4).
Latest performances in all competitions
Rangers: D-D-W-W-W
Dortmund: W-L-W-L-W
Rangers
Rangers return to continental action when they play host to German Heavyweights Borussia Dortmund in their Europa League knockout round play-off return leg.
The Scottish champions shocked the footballing world when they beat Borussia Dortmund on their turf in the reverse fixture last week, forcing the Germans into scoring own goals repeatedly.
The second half saw a more improved performance from the Germans, but it was Rangers who opened the scoring yet again. Jude Bellingham tried to spark a comeback, but it was never to be as the Scottish side ran out 4-2 winners.
Picking up from where Steven Gerrard left off, Giovanni van Bronckhorst has overseen an impressive season so far as his side trail Celtic by three points at the summit of the Scottish Premier League.
With their unlikely win at the Signal Iduna Park, the Scottish champions look set to progress at the expense of their German counterparts. But they will have to produce yet another determined and impressive performance to steal another win against a Dortmund side who will certainly be out for their pound of flesh.
Possible Rangers starting line-up
Allan McGregor; James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Calvin Bassey, Borna Barisic; Ryan Jack, John Lundstram; Scott Arfield, Joe Aribo, Ryan Kent; Alfredo Morelos.
Injured: Ianis Hagi
Doubtful: Leon Balogun
Suspended: None
Borussia Dortmund
In contrast to Rangers, Borussia Dortmund have not had an impressive season by their standards. They dropped out of the Champions League in League Group stages, got knocked out of the DFB Pokal by German minnows St Pauli and also suffered some heavy defeats along the way, the most recent being their first-leg loss to Rangers.
However, Marco Rose’s boys responded perfectly to their embarrassing defeat to Rangers by thrashing Borussia Monchengladbach 6-0.
The win provided a reprieve for the German heavyweights and another big win away at Rangers will put their season back on track.
The German giants will be keen to avoid another embarrassing defeat this season, having infamously lost to Ajax over both legs in the Champions League group stages.
The news of Erling Haaland reportedly being fit for this match will be music to the ears of Marco Rose as the Norwegian will be instrumental to their bid to overturn the first-leg deficit.
The Black and Yellows crashed out of the Europa League in the last 16 in their most recent appearance in the tournament and will hope for better luck this time around.
Possible Borussia Dortmund starting line-up
Gregor Kobel; Emre Can, Mats Hummels, Marin Pongracic; Marius Wolf, Mahmoud Dahoud, Jude Bellingham, Raphael Guerreiro; Julian Brandt, Donyell Malen, Marco Reus.
Injured: Manuel Akanji, Mateu Morey, Marcel Schmelzer, Giovanni Reyna
Doubtful: Erling Braut Haaland, Thomas Meunier, Dan-Axel Zagadou.
Suspended: None
Prediction
Rangers 1-3 BVB
