Rangers will be playing hosts to Sporting Braga in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie on Thursday looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit.
The hosts are currently sitting six points adrift of the top spot in the Scottish Premiership, while Braga are close to cementing fourth position in Primeira Liga.
Having been drawn alongside Braga, Rangers and their supporters would have felt like they had been provided with the ideal draw to progress further in this competition.
However, a 1-0 defeat in Portugal has left the Scottish giants with plenty of work ahead if they are to earn a spot in the semi-finals.
Despite failing to register a shot on target in that contest, Giovanni van Bronckhorst insists that Rangers can cope without their top goalscorer, and credit should be given for their bounce back 4-0 victory at St Mirren on Sunday.
Kemar Roofe scored a hat-trick on that occasion, taking his tally to 15 goals for the season, but several of his teammates also need to improve on themselves over the coming matches.
Rangers have lost three of their last five matches, although they will take confidence frm putting together a four-game unbeaten run at Ibrox in Europe, their only setback on familiar territory coming at Lyon in September.
Meanwhile, Braga have gone three games without success on their European travels, but you cannot overlook their 1-1 draw at Monaco last time out.
While Carlos Carvalhal will remain disappointed with a Primeira Liga campaign which has seen his team sit 19 points off the pace, with three successive league victories having put Braga on the brink of another fourth-placed finish.
Although Abel Ruiz scored the decisive goal during the first leg, Iuri Medeiros is arguably the man in form having scored in his last two domestic appearances.
Rangers vs Sporting Braga head to head
The two teams have previously met on only three occasions in the Europa League, where Rangers have taken two victories while Sporting Braga have won once. Rangers have scored four goals and conceded three in the process. Braga won 1-0 at home in their last meeting in the Europa League.
Rangers 3-2 Sporting Braga 20/02/20
Sporting Braga 0-1 Rangers 26/02/20
Sporting Braga 1-0 Rangers 07/04/22
Rangers latest home form
Rangers lost their last home game 2-1 to Celtic in the league. However, they have recently been on a good run of form at home, having won their previous 13 matches. In their last five matches, they have won two, drawn two and lost one, scoring nine goals and conceding six.
Rangers 2-2 Borussia Dortmund 24/02/22
Rangers 2-2 Motherwell 27/02/22
Rangers 1-0 Aberdeen 05/03/22
Rangers 3-0 Red Star Belgrade 10/03/22
Rangers 1-2 Celtic 03/04/22
Rangers latest away form
Rangers have recently failed to keep a good run of form on the road, having lost two of their five most recent matches. In their last away game, they managed to defeat St Mirren 4-0 in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored 10 goals and conceded four.
Dundee 0-3 Rangers 13/03/22
Red Star Belgrade 2-1 Rangers 17/03/22
Dundee 1-2 Rangers 20/03/22
Sporting Braga 1-0 Rangers 07/04/22
St Mirren 0-4 Rangers 10/04/22
Sporting Braga latest home form
Braga have recently been on a good run of form at home, having lost just one of their eight most recent matches. Their last home defeat came on March 13 when they lost 1-0 to Gil Vicente. In their last five matches, they have scored six goals and conceded three.
Sporting Braga 0-0 Santa Clara 28/02/22
Sporting Braga 2-0 Monaco 10/03/22
Sporting Braga 0-1 Gil Vicente 13/03/22
Sporting Braga 3-2 Benfica 01/04/22
Sporting Braga 1-0 Rangers 07/04/22
Sporting Braga latest away form
Braga have recently been on a good run of form on the road, having been unbeaten in their five most recent matches. In their last away game, they managed to defeat Vizela 1-0 in the league. In their last five away matches, they have scored six goals and conceded three.
Tondela 0-1 Sporting Braga 20/02/22
Boavista 1-1 Sporting Braga 05/03/22
Monaco 1-1 Sporting Braga 17/03/22
Portimonense 1-2 Sporting Braga 20/03/22
Vizela 0-1 Sporting Braga 10/04/22
Rangers news
Aaron Ramsey will hope for a recall to the Rangers side, while Roofe will retain his spot down the middle of the attack in the absence of Morelos.
Leon Balogun and Glen Kamara should feature after remaining as unused substitutes on Sunday, while Fashion Sakala and John Lundstram could drop out.
Sporting Braga news
Providing that there are no further injury issues, Carvalhal is likely to stick with the Braga XI which emerged victorious last week against Rangers.
Vitinha was sent off during the first half against Vizela at the weekend, but the forward is is likely to take his spot on the substitutes’ bench.
Prediction and Odds
Rangers enter the contest off the back of an impressive victory at the weekend, and will be confident facing Braga with an home advantage.
However, Braga provide a much tougher opposition and will not likely give in to pressure from their opponents. So, we expect a draw or an away win.
Odds: 1 2.35 X 2.05 2 2.20
Probable outcomes
Rangers 0-0 Sporting Braga
Rangers 1-1 Sporting Braga
Rangers 2-2 Sporting Braga
Rangers 0-1 Sporting Braga
Rangers 1-2 Sporting Braga
