Rangers Host Progres In Ghosts Of Europe Past

Rangers open up the second round of Europa League Qualifiers by facing a club that showed a previous low at Ibrox.

Today at 7:45 P.M. in Glasgow (2:45 P.M. EST) Rangers will start the second round of Europa League qualifiers against Progres Niederkron which will put Rangers on the field against one of the lowest points for the club after the horror.

Rangers crashed out of Europe against the Luxemborg minnows back in 2017, standing as likely being the clubs lowest moments on the European stage and one of the worst results in Europe for Scottish Football on the whole.

As such, much of the talk around the match has been about old ghosts, but this is a very different Rangers team. Only a handful of players who were on the roster for that disaster remain and this Rangers side looks poised to “right the wrongs” as Steven Gerrard side in his press conference.

With it being the first leg of the tie, being a match at Ibrox, and what is likely a burning desire to ensure there is not a replay of the disaster, expect Gerrard to put what he believes is the best 11 on the field he can. The Rangers skipper said that other than John Flannagan the side is all the way healthy.

Despite the Kilmarnock disaster, as long as Rangers keep their wits about them there is a good chance to continue a strong European outing for Scotland and the coefficient this week. Celtic already pummelled their competition in Champions League qualifying, and Aberdeen is a great position to advance as well.

Progres is not a side that should be able to comfortably compete with Rangers, but it is important to note that they are not as poor as the St Joseph’s side that Rangers just crushed in the first round. Progres is a real team that has even had enough success in Europe recently to show that their shocking victory over Rangers wasn’t just a fluke.