Rangers vs Genk – Preview, Lineups, Prediction | OneFootball

Fixture: Rangers vs Genk Competition: Europa League Kick-off: 25th September, 20:00 UK time

Rangers have been traditionally good in Europe’s second-tier competition – the Europa League. The 2022 final in Seville will still be fresh in the minds of the fans when they took on Eintracht Frankfurt, but eventually lost 5-4 on penalties.

Those are the golden days they would love to return to but their current plight does not give them much hope to cling on to. It has been a record low for Rangers in the league as a defeat in their fifth league match of the season pushed them into the drop zone with only Aberdeen being behind them with a game in hand.

Amidst boos and fan unhappiness, the Gers hosted Hibernian in the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals and were able to restore some credibility by beating the visitors 2-0 to get to the semi-finals, with Russell Martin hailing his side’s performance.

The general anger against manager Martin though persists and hostility could yet again be on display when Belgian side Genk visit Ibrox on Thursday in the Europa League.

The visitors will know very well that the Ibrox atmosphere, which has often worked in favour of the home team, could be less than its usual intensity and it will be an invitation to them to go in and exploit that frailty.

Yet another factor that cannot be discounted is that Rangers have already suffered massively against a team from the same league. Their Champions League hopes were dashed by virtue of a 9-1 aggregate defeat to Belgian side Club Brugge and Genk can pile on to that misery.

Things, though have not gone that well for Fink’s team, who are winless in their last two league matches. They also find themselves in the drop zone and hence, cannot boast of having too much superiority over Rangers.

One Belgian boss has already insisted that Genk are a very different kettle of fish to Club Brugge, boosting Rangers.

Rangers hitman Bojan Miovski has urged the team to stick together, regardless of whether they win or lose, but defeat at the hands of Genk could be another test of that philosophy.

Predicted Lineups

Recent Form (league)

Rangers: LDDDD Genk: LLDWW

Key Men

Rangers

Rangers will take confidence from the fact that they have just returned to winning ways after a torrid run. However, they will also have to keep in mind the fact that the fans remain unhappy and if Genk take an early lead, Martin could find himself in the firing line again.

While one of the key determining factors on the night will be the fans, the players will have to ignore any hostility and focus on the job in hand.

One player to hold the key will be the returning Nicolas Raskin. The Belgian, who had fallen out with the manager, was restored to the team by Martin in the last match against Hibs and he made an immediate impact by scoring the opening goal. A clear fan-favourite, he can get the fans going.

Rangers have also put a lot of faith in Bojan Miovski. He is the mainstay in attack for the Glasgow team and has just added to his goalscoring tally in Scotland. He can be crucial to Rangers’ European ambitions.

Genk

Though Genk have not been in the best of form, they still have players to cause trouble. Skipper Bryan Heynen has already issued a rallying call for his team-mates and can help his team-mates rise to the occasion at Ibrox.

Goals for the Belgians will be key and that would hurt even more for Rangers if any were scored by former Celtic man Oh Hyeon-Gyu, who will be raring to go.

Jarne Steuckers has seven assists in ten games and would love to that tally with contributions inside Ibrox.

Match Prediction

Despite Rangers’ recent struggles, it could well be a night of redemption for Martin and his team. A turnaround in form has always been on the cards and the Hibs win might have been that.

If Martin takes the shackles off his players, they can hit the ground running and will take confidence from the fact that they are not up against a side who are in the best of form and are conceding goals.

Genk will try to hit Rangers on the counter attack and try to do that from the very outset. Even if they do not manage to score a goal, they will be more than content to come away with a point and that is something Martin and his team will try to avoid.

Inside Futbol Score Prediction

Rangers 2-0 Genk

Where To Watch?

The match will be shown live across the UK on the TNT Sports 2 channel.