Easy Europa win on the cards for Rangers

Europa League first qualifying round, first leg
Premier Sports, 7.45pm Thursday

Rangers return from their six-year European exile with a Europa League first qualifying-round tie against little known Progres Niedercorn, who finished fourth in the Luxembourg top flight last season.

Playing a competitive match at the end of June – less than six weeks after the end of the 2016-17 SPL season – is far from ideal but the Gers have been kindly treated by the draw and will be looking to finish off the tie with a strong first leg performance at Ibrox.

Progres have more recent European experience, losing 3-0 on aggregate to Shamrock Rovers at the same stage of this competition in 2015.

They are nowhere near the best teams in Luxembourg – finishing 14 points behind third-placed Fola and 23 behind champions Dudelange.

In 12 attempts they have never won a European match and have lost all of their six away fixtures with out scoring and conceding 28 goal.

And they are unlikely to find the net against Rangers, despite their hosts being over five weeks away from the new domestic season.

An easy win is on the cards for the Gers although they will have to get by without high-profile summer signing Bruno Alves, who is on Confederations Cup duty with Portugal.

Recommendation
Rangers win to nil
1pt 8-11 Paddy Power

Team news
Rangers
Bruno Alves is at the Confederations Cup and Rob Kiernan has not been named in the European squad.

Progres Niedercorn
Summer signings Alexander Karapetian and Emmanuel Francoise - scorers of 17 and 13 goals in the Luxembourg top flight last season - stand by to make their debuts.

Key stat
Progres have drawn one and lost 11 of their 12 European matches.