Rangers are having a difficult star to the season but can hugely improve it in the Champions League play-off round when they take on Club Brugge.
New manager Russell Martin has started Rangers’ Scottish Premiership campaign with back-to-back draws against Motherwell and Dundee.
Already four points off the pace set by Celtic and Hearts, Martin is quickly under pressure to improve results.
The Gers have got past Viktoria Plzen to reach this stage of the Champions League and beat Alloa Athletic in the League Cup on Saturday, so there have been some positives.
Club Brugge did well to beat RB Salzburg home and away in the last round to set up this two-legged tie with Rangers.
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They have won three of their first four matches of the season in Belgium, including at Zulte Waregem on Saturday.
It’s a busy schedule early in the season with this clash followed by a trip to St Mirren in the league on Sunday, then the return leg in Belgium next Wednesday and the first Old Firm derby on Sunday August 31 at Ibrox.
When is Rangers vs Club Brugge?
The match kicks off at 8pm on Tuesday August 19 at Ibrox, with the second leg on Wednesday August 27.
Rangers vs Club Brugge TV channel and live stream
The match is being shown live on Amazon Prime, with coverage starting at 7.30pm.
Rangers vs Club Brugge team news
Cyriel Dessers is a doubt for the game, but it is only a minor injury the forward is dealing with. Jayden Meghoma is also in question after joining on loan from Brentford and being registered in time, but not being yet up to match fitness.
Nicolas Raskin is likely to play after missing the weekend’s win over Alloa.
Rangers vs Club Brugge odds
13/8 Rangers
15/8 Draw
1/1 Club Brugge
Odds courtesy of Betfair
What has Russell Martin said?
‘What does the team need to do to get a result? Just to perform in a way that we really believe the players can.
‘Similar to the Plzen game here with the same level of intensity, energy, courage with the ball.
‘They have to really trust their work; they have to really trust each other.
‘It should be an amazing atmosphere, the two European nights we have had already have been fantastic.
‘The crowd have been incredible; the players have fed off the energy so we have to try and replicate that as much as we can.
‘We are excited about it all. We have been here just under two months, seven weeks or whatever it has been, and I am more excited than ever really. It hasn’t diminished one bit.
‘You have to roll the punches here for sure, and I think early on we understood that we were going to have a bit of pain to go through.
‘We have to win while we are going through some pain, so we are in this round, a huge opportunity to qualify for one of the best competitions in world football.
‘It is incredibly exciting and we have to attack it with everything we have got, as a group, as a team, and I really believe we can do it.
‘I really hope that we give the lads enough belief that we can do it, and I know that tomorrow night the supporters will definitely do their bit for the team, and it could be a really brilliant night.
‘When you come to this club, you have a chance to experience moments you just don’t get at any other football club, and tomorrow night can be another night like that.’
