Think Rangers are bad? Try hapless Genk who are arguably worse | OneFootball

Rangers enter the Europa League league phase with Genk visiting Ibrox this Thursday. Rangers v Genk is a clash between two sides struggling badly, and Rangers v Genk feels like a meeting of equals in decline. Rangers v Genk is also laced with a bit of irony given Philippe Clement once guided the Belgians to their league crown.

Genk are dreadful

Genk sit third bottom of the Belgian top flight and look a shadow of their old selves. They have lost regularly and conceded heavily. They carry almost no threat and show none of their past strength. This is not the Genk of years gone by. Instead it is a fragile group bereft of confidence and identity. They limp into this tie knowing they are not remotely ready for the challenge. If Rangers needed fortune, they have found it here.

Rangers hardly better

Rangers have been equally dire in the Premiership, dropping points and playing with no rhythm. Russell Martin’s men beat Hibs but that barely covers the cracks. The pressure remains intense and the fans remain restless. The squad lacks belief and cohesion. Rangers cannot pretend to be in control when every domestic match reveals new failings. Facing a side as poor as Genk is probably the only thing that keeps hope alive for this opener. Without that luck, the prospect of defeat would have loomed large.

A contest of failures

This meeting feels like two damaged clubs colliding. UEFA confirms the tie opens the league phase and both sides stumble into it. Genk know they have been woeful in Belgium. Rangers know they have been woeful in Scotland. Neither group of supporters carry optimism into this game. Both sides hope the other collapses first, because that is the only way a win seems possible. Even so, the stakes remain high. Rangers must deliver something in Europe to calm the storm at Ibrox. Genk must restore pride after a terrible domestic start. One of them will seize the chance, but not through brilliance.

The truth is both Rangers and Genk are lucky to face each other. The Scotsman reports Rangers carry injuries and doubts while Genk arrive in dire form. For Rangers, a stronger opponent could have spelled instant disaster. For Genk, a more composed side would have sent them packing straight away. Instead both clubs stumble into this clash, each hoping to use the other as a launchpad.

Yet supporters will not be fooled. GlasgowWorld describes the Belgian side as fragile and out of sorts. Fans know these two sides are poor, they know the quality is missing and they know a victory here changes nothing long term. Only immediate relief comes from beating a team as broken as yourself. Rangers have landed Genk at the perfect moment, but so have Genk with Rangers.