Standard Liege vs Rangers preview, team news, kick-off
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has healthy squad after Kemar Roofe, Joe Aribo shake off knocks; Follow with our dedicated live blog across Sky Sports' digital platforms, plus analysis and reaction after full-time
Thursday 22 October 2020 18:38, UK
Team news and stats ahead of Standard Liege vs Rangers in their opening Europa League group stage game on Thursday; Kick-off 5.55pm.
Team news
Rangers have travelled to Belgium for their Europa League opener with Standard Liege with almost a full-strength squad.
Kemar Roofe and Joe Aribo have jetted out with the rest of their Ibrox team-mates after shaking off calf knocks.
New recruit Bongani Zungu - who is still quarantining under Covid-19 restrictions - and long-term knee-injury casualty Nikola Katic have stayed behind along with Jermain Defoe, Jordan Jones and George Edmundson, who have not made Rangers' European squad.
Standard Liege will be without three players after testing positive for Covid-19. Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Nicolas Raskin and Moussa Sissako will not be available for their Europa League group stage opener.
Profile: Standard Liege
Rangers are away against Standard Liege, who they last played when they were beaten on aggregate by the Belgians in the 1961-62 European Cup quarter-finals.
That run to the semis remains Standard's best effort in Europe's premier competition, and they also finished as runners-up in the 1981-82 Cup Winners' Cup.
In each of the last two seasons they have failed to get out of their Europa League group - they were beaten 4-0 and then drew 2-2 with Arsenal in the 2019-20 campaign.
Standard came fifth in the Belgian top-flight last term. With the season ending prematurely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
How to follow
Follow Standard Liege vs Rangers with our dedicated live blog across Sky Sports' digital platforms, plus analysis and reaction after full-time.
Opta stats
- These sides have met in Europe in one previous campaign, with Standard Liege eliminating Rangers in the European Cup quarter-finals in 1961-62.
- Rangers' last game in Belgium was a 1-1 draw with Club Brugge in the group stages of the 1992-93 Champions League.
- Standard Liege have failed to successfully navigate the Europa League group stages with each of their last five attempts since reaching the Last 16 in 2011-12.
- Rangers reached the Last 16 of the Europa League last season before Bayer Leverkusen eliminated them - it was the furthest they had gotten in the competition since 2010-11 (also Last 16).
- Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos has scored eight goals in 14 games for the club in the Europa League, although he has failed to score in his last three.
