Rangers

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Malmo

It has been absolutely pelting down all day in Malmo as Rangers prepare for their opening Europa League fixture here in Sweden.

Thankfully it appears to be subsiding as we approach kick off. If not, my laptop will be toast come half-time.

The travelling support have been nowhere to be seen over the last 24 hours, no doubt taking shelter in some of this city's finer establishments.

They're drifting in here now looking for something to cheer to get this season really up and running.

Philippe Clement will be desperate for his side to shine here. This is a crucial tie given the demands of the draw and it's vital they start this campaign with a positive outcome.

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Rangers have confirmed the complete reopening of the Copland Road stand, meaning Ibrox will be at full capacity - including away fans - for their Premiership match with Hibernian.

The stand was partially opened for their homecoming last weekend against Dundee after starting the season at Hampden because of delayed construction work to that end of the ground.

In a short statement, the club said they "cannot thank our loyal supporters enough for their patience".

Meanwhile, Hibs also thanked their fans for their patience "during this frustrating time" after receiving confirmation they will receive a full away allocation just three days before Sunday's match.

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David Gray says he expects Hibernian fans to be in attendance for their trip to Rangers on Sunday, despite a continued lack of clarity on away tickets for the game.

The Govan side returned to Ibrox last weekend in the League Cup quarter-final win over Dundee after a brief relocation to Hampden due to delayed construction work on the Copland Road stand.

Away fans were in the ground on Saturday for Rangers' 3-0 victory, but there is yet to be confirmation that Hibs supporters will be able to attend this Sunday.

Just three days out from the game, Gray understands why fans of the Leith club may find the situation "really frustrating".

However, the Hibs head coach is expecting an imminent resolution.

"My understanding is I expect supporters to be there," Gray revealed. "Which is great, that's the most important thing."

"Fans are vital to Scottish football. They get right behind their team and should have the opportunity to do that. The club are working extremely hard to make sure that’s the case.

"From the fans’ point of view, I understand why it would be really frustrating, but my full focus is on preparing the team."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Malmo

Image source, Reuters

Connor Barron insists Rangers are fully focussed on advancing to the knockout stages of the Europa League as they begin their campaign in Sweden against Malmo.

The Ibrox side face a tough challenge after being drawn with the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham in what, on paper, looks a formidable task.

However, Barron says the mentality is always the same within the club and qualification remains their realistic goal.

"One hundred percent, that's what we are at Rangers," he said.

"We want to win every game we play and that doesn't change no matter what competition it is.

"We're here to win."

Rangers will look for something positive to build some momentum after back-to back wins over Dundee United and Dundee since defeat against Celtic.

That, alongside Champions League disappointment and issues with the stadium and at board level, have made the start to this season less than straightforward.

"It's just the start," Barron continued.

"It's about us as a team and I can see us growing and building each week.

"We're nowhere near the finished article yet, but we're doing great so far and we just need to keep building in the same direction now and keep pushing."

Despite being from Sweden, ex-Rangers defender Joachim Bjorklund says "there is no conflict" when it comes to his allegiance for Thursday's Europa League opener.

Bjorklund's hopes are firmly with the Ibrox side in a game he feels will be a "50/50" contest with Malmo.

Click here to listen to more on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast preview.

Rangers' hierarchy may address the club's challenging summer transfer business soon, hints manager Philippe Clement. (Herald - subscription), external

Sead Haksabanovic, 25, warns Rangers his Malmo side are full of confidence before Thursday's Europa League encounter in Sweden. (Football Scotland), external

Rangers are "beatable" but "capable of hurting you", says former Ibrox player and ex-Hibernian captain Ian Murray before the clubs' weekend meeting. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Hibs remain confident of receiving a full away allocation for Sunday’s Scottish Premiership trip to Rangers after going through official SPFL channels to secure tickets for the match as a final resort. (Hibs Observer), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

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Manager Philippe Clement has reaffirmed his long-term commitment to Rangers, saying no team will tempt him away from Govan.

Former Belgium international Nordin Jbari suggested managerless Anderlecht should attempt to appoint, external the Ibrox boss, who signed a new contract just last month.

When posed the question at his pre-Malmo media conference, Clement replied: "Whatever team comes, I'm not going to go away."

Following his appointment last October, the Belgian led Rangers to League Cup success and mounted a Premiership title challenge.

The season unravelled at the finale, though, and Clement has since had to oversee a huge turnover of players.

Despite a turbulent summer, the Ibrox boss is adamant he wants to remain at the club and make his long-term vision a success.

Speaking prior to Rangers' Europa League opener in Sweden, Clement added: "Really clear, I want this project with the club and to make it really successful for the future.

"We need time for that, a few transfer windows for that, that's what I want to do. I love the city, I love the club, I love the dynamic at Ibrox with the fans.

"So I'm here to stay, very clear."

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Manager Philippe Clement has been speaking to the media prior to Rangers' Europa League opener at Malmo on Thursday.

Here are they key lines:

• Clement revealed Oscar Cortes has picked up another injury and will be out for "several weeks".

• The Rangers manager said the injury for the winger came from an "unlucky" tackle in training.

• Clement adds that the injury is a real blow as Cortes was "growing back to his best level".

• The rest of the squad will be the same as last weekend's, apart from left-back Jefte who is suspended.

• Rangers will "have a fight with history" in Thursday's game due to their record against Malmo, Clement adds.

• He says the Swedish side "play good offensive football" and "have a lot of experience in Europe".

• Although the Ibrox boss feels "we didn't get any presents" with their Europa League draw, he says the squad "are ambitious and always want do better".

• On suggestions that managerless Anderlecht should move for Clement, the Belgian committed his future to Rangers by saying: "Whatever team comes, I'm not going to go away."

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Andrew McKinlay is "absolutely focussed" on his role as chief executive of Hearts - a job he "loves" - and dismissed reports linking him to the vacant CEO position at Rangers.

The Ibrox club have been searching for James Bisgrove's successor since he announced his departure at the end of last season.

But McKinlay, who spoke with Sky Sports, external following head coach Steven Naismith's sacking, said he has had "no conversations" with Rangers, despite reports suggesting he was a possible candidate.

"I can put on record very clearly that I've had no conversations with Rangers and Rangers have had no conversations with me," McKinlay, appointed by Hearts in August 2020, said.

"There have been press reports, I have no idea where those press reports have come from, but there have been press reports about other individuals who were about to become chief executive and it didn't come to fruition.

"I have no idea what Rangers' plans are for the future. I wish them all the best in their search, but I am absolutely focused on my job with Hearts and I love my job and will give it my utmost going forward."

Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Rangers’ off-field issues continue to generate as many headlines as their on-field performances>

This week we have heard their interim chairman John Gilligan attempt to dampen the disquiet surrounding the board’s perceived shortcomings in the eyes of some vocal critics.

At least the board were able to take their usual seats in the Ibrox directors’ box this past weekend, while most fans were able to return to their own seats of choice as the stadium reopened, albeit with the top tier of the Copland Road stand still closed.

Even allowing for that, Ibrox wasn’t full for the League Cup quarter-final win over Dundee - a comfortable enough victory, which could have been more emphatic.

Like the previous week’s win at Tannadice, it featured some periods of impressive play but also examples of a lack of ruthlessness and occasional vulnerability that the likes of Swedish league leaders Malmo may be able to exploit.

The club’s opening Europa League match will bring back memories of a couple of nights Rangers supporters would sooner forget - both Champions League qualifiers, both ending in bitter disappointment.

This time, the draw that sent them tumbling out in 2011 would not be such a bad way to kick off the campaign against a side who are running away with their domestic title and fell at the final qualifying hurdle for the Champions League against Sparta Prague.

Only positive results against Malmo and Hibernian on Sunday back at Ibrox again will begin to quell the grumblings from a dissatisfied section of the support.

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Henrik Rydstrom believes there was no harm in Malmo's social media team reminding Rangers of past failures against the Swedish club - and warned "it will probably happen again".

The Ibrox side have met Malmo twice in Champions League qualifying and have been defeated on both occasions, losing 4-2 on aggregate in their 2021 clash and 2-1 on aggregate when they faced each other in 2011.

This Wednesday, the pair face off again in Sweden as the two clubs begin their Europa League campaigns.

In the build-up to the match, Malmo posted a video reminding Rangers of those previous defeats.

The Swedish side's manager revealed he had not seen the video but said: "It's never a bad thing to remind the opponent this happened before and it will probably happen again.

"I'm really sure that our video was a bit fun. And I think the responses are also with that spirit. That's my experience with the Scottish supporters. A lot of passion, a lot of joy you can say, but also a fun part.

"I don't see any problem with it. I think it's really nice. I think the game is going to be intense and it's going to be a really tough game."

• Malmo have played Rangers four times in major European competition with all four meetings coming in Champions League qualification. In that time, the Swedish side remain unbeaten (W2 D2).

• Rangers have failed to win any of their six games against Swedish opposition in European competition (D2 L4), the most they’ve faced sides from a specific nation without ever winning.

• Malmo have lost nine of their last 12 games in all European competitions (W2 D1), a run which has seen the Swedish side fail to score on six separate occasions.

• Rangers have lost four of their last seven away Europa League games (W1 D2), just one fewer than they suffered across their prior 19 such matches in the competition (five).

• James Tavernier has netted 11 goals across major European competition for Rangers, with only Alfredo Morelos (15), Ralph Brand (13) and Ally McCoist (12) ever managing more for the Scottish side.

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Vaclav Cerny relishes the "constant pressure" which comes with playing with Rangers, having experienced the same intensity with Ajax.

The 26-year-old spent four years with the Dutch giants, but his spell was plagued by injury as he missed their Europa League final against Manchester United in 2017.

But the Czech Republic international believes that period on the sidelines, as well as his initial long-term absence with a knee injury, has formed the player he is.

"I've been through a lot during my career," he said after helping Rangers to their League Cup quarter-final win against Dundee.

"I had two big, big injuries, so that forms how you are, your experiences from previous clubs, but also you personally.

"I'm just enjoying myself being on the pitch, and I just want to give this club back what they've given me until now.

"As a football player, you play for a club, you play for your team-mates, for your coaches but when you're injured for so long, all of a sudden you're basically on your own. That's what is a struggle, actually.

"You have to find the mentality to come through it, because you have examples of players who don't come out of those injuries.

"Those things tested me so well and you realise even more what it means to play on these stages and makes me enjoy it even more. Literally, that's why I’m the kind of player that I am now."

His role right now is to help Phillipe Clement's side keep pace with league leaders Celtic. The demands to do that is something he is familiar with.

"It is similar [to Ajax], so it's good to know how it feels to be in a club that demands a lot," he added,

"Fans, the club itself, you need to play for trophies and you want that as well as a player, and we all realise that.

"Obviously clubs like Ajax, they want to win titles every single year, and that’s more than normal. There is a constant pressure, but that's a good thing also.

"We don’t have to make it bigger than it is, so it's just up to us to focus."

English midfielder Todd Cantwell's 50% fall in value following his transfer to Rangers from Norwich City and down to England again with Blackburn Rovers, where he has made just two appearances so far, for £1.43m is the biggest drop in value this summer in the Championship. (Transfermarkt), external

Former Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos remains most valuable player in Colombia despite the 28-year-old's value dropping from £3.34m to £2.67m after being loaned to Atletico Nacional following Santos' relegation in Brazil. (Transfermarkt), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

Jamie Currie
Fan writer

It was a long time coming, but Rangers are finally back at Ibrox and the homecoming, so to speak, was a fantastic one we were all hoping for.

It was a relatively comfortable 3-0 victory, meaning we are returning to Hampden in November to play Motherwell in the League Cup semis.

Jefte was excellent and he is beginning to come on to a good run of form. He gives us something extra down the left-hand side and he's been good both in and out of possession.

Unfortunately, he is suspended for the Europa League opener on Thursday against Malmo.

If we are to beat the Swedish side and get off to a good start in the league phase, it will be a club first as we haven't beaten them in four attempts, one draw and three losses.

However, if we have any chance of progressing into the knockout rounds we will have to take something from this match.

The positives are we are looking better week by week and are playing some decent football at times, but games like this will be a test, especially to see how we are without the ball. We will have to improve in that regard.

It will be interesting to see who replaces Jefte, whether that be Dujon Sterling or Neraysho Kasanwirjo, and who will play as the number 10.

And, of course, will it be Hamza Igamane or Cyriel Dessers as the number nine? It's a nice change to have options.

Amid boardroom uncertainty at Ibrox, BBC Scotland's chief sports writer Tom English and Chris Jack of the Rangers Review take an in-depth look at the issues in Govan in a bonus episode of the Scottish Football Podcast.

The pair examine how Rangers got to this point and discuss what's next for the club after a period of turmoil.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

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Ex-Rangers defender Filip Helander believes his former side will face a "very, very strong" Malmo in the Europa League this Thursday.

The Ibrox club kick off their European campaign on the road as they travel to face the Swedish top-flight leaders, who are currently nine points clear after playing 24 games of their league season.

Malmo dumped Steven Gerrard's Rangers out of Champions League qualifying three years ago, and Helander feels their pedigree in continental competition makes them a dangerous opponent.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, the Swede said: "It's a solid team that has a lot of experience. They've been playing in Europe for a lot of years.

"They've got some experienced players and they're in good form. They're leading the top of the table in the Swedish league with quite a good margin.

"So it's a very, very strong team. They get a good atmosphere at home and I think it will be a tough game for Rangers, but also I think it can go either way."

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Interim chairman John Gilligan says he is "not stupid enough" to say Rangers are equal to Celtic at present, but he insists the club will "keep chasing" them down.

Gilligan was appointed to his new role after John Bennet stepped down from his position due to medical reasons.

The Ibrox side endured a tumultuous summer and are now five points behind their Glasgow rivals, who continue to boast healthy financial numbers, after just five games this season.

"History tells you that happens," Gilligan said when asked about the gap between the two sides. "Sometimes we are ahead, sometimes Celtic are ahead.

"At the moment we are chasing. There is no argument there, I am not stupid enough to say otherwise. But we will keep chasing."

Former Rangers owner Craig Whyte has claimed he was told by HMRC that it should have done a deal with the club to avoid it going into administration. (Craig Campbell YouTube via Scottish Sun)

Read the rest of Tuesday's gossip.

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Rangers interim chairman John Gilligan says the recruitment of a new chief executive is his "main priority".

The Ibrox club have been without a chief executive since James Bisgrove departed for the Middle East in the spring.

Gilligan - who is in interim charge after John Bennett stepped down for health reasons - expects movement in the next "few months".

"I will stay on as long as required," he said. "The main priority is to get a chief executive.

"We are working on that right away. I can stay on indefinitely, I am expecting a few months and a chairman to come in too."

When asked what he would be looking for in a potential hire, Gilligan said: "Recruitment in any walk of life is of the moment. The person needs to be multi-faceted and good at everything.

"He needs to be an assertive character and we are looking much more to provide for the CEO via the chairman.

"And also for the CEO to have a lot of power day to day and the chairman to be slightly behind that."

Gilligan also dismissed the prospect of an extraordinary general meeting, as proposed by major shareholder Dave King, who wants to return to his previous role as chairman.

"Again, it is a bit unrealistic because EGMs are invariably called by people who wish to change something," Gilligan said.

"But the current board don’t wish to change. So why would we call an EGM?"