Confirmed: Rangers handed Europa League boost as weakened side promise emerges

Rangers are set for a boost when they face FCSB in their Europa League clash after Gigi Becali said they will field a weakened side.

The club’s owner revealed, as per Romanian journalist Emanuel Rosu on 16 October, he will use the measure in an attempt to help the club improve domestically when they arrive at Ibrox on 24 October.

FCSB are currently seventh in the Romanian Super Liga, seven points behind Cluj, having won just four of their opening 11 fixtures.

But they head to Glasgow having won both of their first two games in the revamped Europa League group stage, against Latvian side RFS and Greek leaders PAOK.

Rangers look to bounce back from heavy Lyon loss

Philippe Clement might fancy his chances of getting a result anyway if his players can produce something more akin to the 2-0 win away at Malmo on 26 September, than the 4-1 loss at home to Lyon on 3 October.

But he will surely take any help that he can get along the way as the Belgian continues to navigate through a rough period with a squad that is still a work in progress.

Despite the domestic disappointments since lifting title 55 the Europa League, and European nights at Ibrox in particular, have provided some of the greatest Light Blues occasions in that time.

Clement’s men shot themselves in the foot on their first night game back at Ibrox this season against Lyon as Vaclav Cerny missed an open goal and Connor Barron played a suicidal pass that was punished.

But the Czech has since bounced back from some poor form to score both in a 2-0 victory over St. Johnstone, and if the Gers can return to action after the international break against Kilmarnock on Sunday (20 October) it looks like they will have an excellent chance to build on it the following midweek.

But with the opportunity comes pressure as it would go down appallingly to slip up at home to a weakened side, so if Becali follows through with his plan Rangers have to take advantage.

In other Rangers news, Clement has risked making a lot of people “very angry” thanks to what he has said.

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