When Rangers defeated Real Betis in an unexpected victory in Spain to guarantee their seeding in the Europa League last 16, they somewhat stunned the continent.
Kemar Roofe’s late goal, along with goals from Abdallah Sima and Cyriel Dessers, made it an incredible evening for the Light Blues, eliminating Betis from the competition even though the odds appeared to be in their favor. The Gers are enjoying a fantastic run of results at home and in Europe, and Philippe Clement will want to maintain that positive vibe.
The problem is facing some of the strongest hitters in the competition in the knockout round, and that is precisely what may transpire when the draw is made on Friday.
However, who are the best-case scenario clubs that the Gers might play? Alternatively put, whom are they trying to stay away from?
Scotland’s Football looks at everything!
5 best options
SC Freiburg
The German outfit are not in the best of form in the Bundesliga and sit eighth in the competition. It’s not been their best season, albeit they’ve performed in Europe to make it this far. Defeats in recent fixtures to Werder Bremen, Heidenheim and Stuttgart at home have held them back and they were unconvincing in their goalless draw with RC Lens in the first-leg of their playoff.
Toulouse
When it’s between the French outfit and Benfica, there’s an obvious choice on paper, certainly. Sitting in a dismal 13th spot in Ligue 1 right now, Toulouse have won just five of 22 in the league. They’re not in the best form and even if they do beat the Portuguese in the second-leg, it may well be a favourable tie for Gers.
Sparta Prague
The Germans know they can defeat the Czech team, and if they can overcome Galatasaray in spite of a close loss in the first leg, Clement and his team will probably feel secure in the knowledge that they can repeat the feat in the round of sixteen.
Rennes
Even though the French team’s chances of winning are slim, Rangers still have hope that they do! After being thoroughly defeated by AC Milan in the opening round, they will have an uphill battle to advance to the next round, but if they can upset the odds and win, the Germans will undoubtedly feel more confident over the course of two legs.
Young Boys
Even though they are the leaders of the Swiss League, the leaders of the Premiership might face more formidable competition from the other options. Their recent performance has not exactly been stellar, as they have drawn in the league with Lugano and lost to Basel and Sporting. The last time the two teams played, the Gers had taken them out, and they would like to repeat that feat.
5 worst options
AC Milan
The Italian powerhouses finished third in their Champions League group, which was unfortunate, but they are now very much in the running to win the Europa League. Finishing third in Serie A is a noteworthy achievement as well, and with players like Christian Pulisic, Rafa Leão, and Olivier Giroud on their roster, they should be difficult to defeat even at the Ibrox cauldron.
Roma
Even though they do not have the Special One in Jose Mourinho anymore, they remain a formidable team. They could have won the first leg despite their 1-1 draw with Feyenoord because they have elite players like Romelu Lukaku and Pablo Dybala who can test any defense.
You would have to believe that Gers has easier opponents than these.
Marseille
Given that the French team is currently ninth in their league, one could initially assume that they would be easier to mark. However, a closer look at their Euro run reveals that they are flying. finished second in their group, behind Brighton, following a 4-3 victory over the Dutch powerhouses and a 3-3 draw with Ajax. Despite their current state of disarray following the dismissal of Rino Gattuso, they are still a formidable team thanks to players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ismaila Sarr, and Iliman Ndiaye.
Qarabag
Even though they are not the most well-known team in the league right now, their play is good enough to get them respect. They are also in excellent form and playing with confidence, as they are far and away the best team in their league. They would undoubtedly be a dark horse going back to Azerbaijan because they have a 4-2 aggregate lead from their first-leg match against Braga, which was played AWAY from home.