Rangers News

Tottenham Hotspur have a number of injury problems heading into their Europa League clash against Rangers.

The Premier League outfit are counting the cost of recent absences, with under-pressure manager Ange Postecoglou insistent that they have played a crucial part of the club’s stuttering league form.

Injury doubts surround as many as eight Spurs players ahead of the trip to Rangers, with the Ibrox side also having a number of issues in their own squad.

But whilst plenty is being made about the Spurs players who won’t make the Europa League clash against Rangers, Ange Postecoglou’s team are about to be boosted by the return of one controversial star.

Spurs star serving seven-match ban

Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is ordinarily a crucial player for Tottenham Hotspur.

But the 27-year-old has controversially missed the last four Premier League matches as part of a seven-match ban after being found guilty of a racism offence.

As explained by BBC Sport, Bentancur was found guilty of what he insists was a ‘very bad joke’ about Spurs teammate Son Heung-Min.

Alongside the ban, Bentancur was fined £100k and ordered to undergo mandatory face-to-face education programme for the comments, which were originally made in Uruguay.

MORE RANGERS STORIES

Rodrigo Bentancur free to face Rangers

The chaos surrounding the incident, which was punished by the FA for ‘misconduct in relation to a media interview’, has come at an awful time for an under pressure Spurs.

With the North London outfit now in the bottom half of the Premier League, Bentancur has had to watch on from the sidelines as his teammate’s toil.

Former Juventus midfielder Bentancur joined Spurs in a £21.5m deal back in January 2022 and is considered an important member of the club’s squad.

That’s why Ange Postecoglou will be delighted that the midfielder is back in his squad for the Europa League trip to face Rangers.

Bentancur hasn’t been seen in a Tottenham jersey since the 2-2 Europa League draw with AS Roma and is available for selection on European duties.

That’s because the seven-game ban only affects matches in English football, meaning the 67-times capped Uruguay star is free to face Rangers at Ibrox.

Rangers are preparing to welcome an injury-ravaged Tottenham Hotspur to Ibrox in the Europa League this week.

Australian manager Ange Postecoglou has lamented a series of injury problems in his squad which have gravely impacted the club’s ambitions this season.

The stubborn former Celtic boss reckons it’s bad luck and not his aggressive style of attacking football which has had the impact, with several players either missing or big doubts for the clash with Rangers.

Here’s the current state of play in the Tottenham Hotspur squad, with doubt surrounding eight players as Rangers look to spring a Europa League upset.

Guglielmo Vicario – OUT

Italian goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario fractured his ankle back in November and is likely to be out of action until the end of February.

It means ex-Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster is likely to be between the sticks against Rangers on Europa League duties.

Micky van den Ven – DOUBT

Micky van den Ven returned for Tottenham in the 4-3 defeat to Chelsea after missing six games due to a hamstring injury suffered against Manchester City in October.

The Dutch defender wasn’t expected back until the end of the year and came off in the 79th minute against the Blues after receiving treatment on the back of his leg.

MORE RANGERS STORIES

A major doubt to play against Rangers at Ibrox but Spurs are short of options at centre-back.

Cristian Romero – OUT

Ange Postecoglou lamented the loss of Cristian Romero following the defeat to Chelsea such is the importance of the Argentine World Cup winner to his team.

Having worked his way back into the starting line-up v Chelsea, Romero had to be replaced only 19 minutes into the game having felt something in his quad.

Reports suggest Romero faces six weeks on the sidelines with the centre-back almost certainly missing the Europa League clash with Rangers.

Ben Davies – OUT

Another recent injury for the Tottenham medical staff to assess, Davies suffered a hamstring problem in last week’s 1-0 Premier League defeat to Bournemouth.

The London Evening Standard reckon Davies is out of action for the ‘foreseeable future’ which means he’ll miss Thursday’s game with Rangers.

Brennan Johnson – DOUBT

Amongst all the Spurs injury problems, Brennan Johnson is probably the slightest doubt of the lot to face Rangers.

The £47.5m Welsh international came off at half-time against Chelsea complaining of feeling sick, with Ange Postecoglou hoping the issue clears up in time to face Rangers.

Wilson Odobert – OUT

Spurs splashed out £25m to sign Wilson Odobert in the summer but the attacker has spent the bulk of the campaign sidelined due to a hamstring injury.

Last seen in September, the 20-year-old ex-Burnley star is out of an indefinite period of time in North London.

The situation with French winger Odobert has shades of that concerning Oscar Cortes at Rangers.

Richarlison – OUT

Son Hueng-Min aside, Richarlison is the most glamorous name in the Tottenham squad but Rangers fans won’t catch a glimpse of the Brazilian frontman.

That’s because the 27-year-old forward is out for a ‘significant period of time’ due to a hamstring injury sustained in November.

Given Spurs paid £60m to sign Richarlison in 2022, if the Brazilian winger, Wilson Odobert and Brennan Johnson all miss the clash with Rangers, that’s over £130m worth of talent sidelined.

Mikey Moore – DOUBT

Big things are expected of teenage winger Mikey Moore at Spurs but the forward, who in ordinary circumstances would be a Europa League starter, is out with a mystery virus.

Whilst the Premier League side won’t go into details about the problem, Moore is expected to remain out until 2025 with the issue.

Ange Postecoglou returns to Ibrox without having the best of records there in the past.

The former Celtic manager brings his Tottenham side to Glasgow for a Europa League tie tomorrow evening and his feeling the heat after throwing away a lead to lose to Chelsea, leaving Spurs 11th in the Premier League table.

It is being labelled as a must-win for the Aussie as he attempts to cling onto his job in North London amid criticism for failing to adapt and sticking to his guns over his all-out attack way of playing.

It is also a big week for Rangers with the game taking place three days before the Premier Sports Cup final against Postecoglou’s old side, leaving Philippe Clement in a predicament over how to approach the two games.

Despite his success across the city, Postecoglou hasn’t had the best of times at Ibrox and has only ever won one match there.

Postecoglou expects ‘intense’ Rangers atmosphere

Postecoglou has managed his Celtic side away to Rangers four times and his record reads: W1 D1 L2.

The Ibrox atmosphere is famous, especially on occasions like the derby and European nights – the latter of which he will now experience.

It can be hostile for visiting players and managers and the pressure they are put under is known to have helped the Rangers team, particularly during the Europa League runs of recent years.

MORE RANGERS STORIES

The Spurs boss knows all about the “intense” heat of Ibrox and is expecting no different this time.

He told Sky Sports: “I’m looking forward to it. I had a great time up there in the two years I was there. Fair to say, Ibrox can be fairly intense and I’m sure we’ll feel that.

“But it’s a great stadium to play football in. The atmosphere, European nights. Even when I was there, they did awfully well in Europe – the first year I was there they got to the Europa League final.

“So you know how European nights, irrespective of their league form, they really rise for, so it’s a good challenge for us.

“I’m also looking forward to being back in Glasgow and feeling the cold again and hopefully see some friendly faces among the others.”

Postecoglou Ibrox record goes out the window

For all that Postecoglou hasn’t had the best of results at Ibrox, that will all go out the window for this one.

For a start he is now managing a different team and crucially it is one with vastly superior resources to both Rangers and Celtic.

That’s not to say Gers don’t have a chance here, because they do given the form of both sides.

Another factor to note is his first defeat in Govan was at the start of his tenure when he took a time to get going, and Steven Gerrard was still in charge.

The second was a dead rubber game after Celtic had won the league.

Rangers can though make it another miserable return for him if they can raise their game to the right levels.

Rangers couldn’t have asked for a tougher week ahead of the Premier Sports Cup final against Celtic on Sunday.

Philippe Clement hasn’t had a bigger week as manager since stepping foot in Ibrox with the pressure ramping up ahead of a game that he can ill afford to lose.

Up first is a Tottenham Hotspur team struggling for form and with injury problems, however, they still have talent throughout the team and will be Rangers’ toughest test of the season.

Chris Sutton claims Spurs are the best team in the Premier League

According to Chris Sutton on BBC Five Live, Spurs aren’t just a good team, they are better than Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal:

“As far as I can see, on their day, they are the best team in the Premier League,” claimed the former Celtic striker.

“They play the best football. They are the best watch in the Premier League.

“There haven’t been enough of those days, but that’s why they do need to be patient.

“For Spurs fans to be calling for his [Postecoglou’s] head, well what’s the alternative?”

MORE RANGERS STORIES

Sutton, as ever, is blinded by his allegiances when trying to offer some form of objectivity.

At Spurs’ level, there is always an alternative, especially when you consider managerial heavyweights like Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho have both recently been in charge.

Ange Postecoglou is under pressure but he also has a lengthy injury list, which is a contributing factor when you consider who won’t be playing against Rangers.

As Clement will testify to, it’s fine having one or two rotation players in, but when the first choice centre-halves and goalkeeper are missing, and two of the best forwards from any team, it makes a difference.

Sutton miles off the mark because Spurs numbers don’t add up

The Aussie boss won’t change his approach any time soon, but for Sutton to claim that Spurs are the “best team in the Premier League” is a big stretch.

Teams like Newcastle United, Brentford, Brighton and Aston Villa could all say that – on their day – they can beat anyone, but it is consistency that makes a good team.

Spurs are second highest goalscorers in league, but they have also conceded more than a goal a game with their recent defensive in particular not looking too impressive and the main reason for them sitting in 11th place in the Premier League.

Football isn’t just about playing on the front foot and playing entertaining football, it’s about knowing when to be pragmatic with a two goal lead too.

That is the mark of a really good team.

Ange Postecoglou finds himself at the centre of Rangers’ upcoming Europa League clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

The ex-Celtic manager is in his second season at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium and finds himself under immense pressure after a stuttering campaign.

Following a 4-3 defeat to Chelsea over the weekend, a return to Glasgow beckons for Ange Postecoglou who will meet a Rangers team resurgent under Philippe Clement.

Whilst the two managers never squared up on the Ibrox touchline in Glasgow, Postecoglou has been to Govan to face Rangers four times before.

Postecoglou might’ve wrestled Scottish football’s crown back from Rangers, but can Australian’s record at Ibrox provide ample Europa League encouragement to bluenoses everywhere?

Rangers 1 – 0 Celtic (29/08/21)

A Steven Gerrard led Rangers side, who were the champions of Scotland, welcomed Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic to Ibrox for the first time on a handful of games into the season.

With Celtic struggling under the Australian, Rangers ran out 1-0 winners courtesy of a powerful Filip Helander header from an Ibrox corner.

Remember the days when we were champions? Remember the days we used to score from corners?

MORE RANGERS STORIES

Rangers 1 – 2 Celtic (03/04/22)

With Giovanni van Bronckhorst now at the helm for Rangers, Ange Postecoglou recorded his first and only win at Ibrox in his career.

Rangers had to win to keep the club’s Scottish Premiership hopes alive and started on fire with Aaron Ramsay scoring within minutes of kick off.

Tom Rogic then equalised minutes later for Celtic before Cameron Carter Vickers stabbed home a winner from a corner.

Rangers should’ve got at least a draw from this game and Celtic escaped unscathed to take a massive step towards the title.

Rangers 2 – 2 Celtic (02/01/23)

Michael Beale this time for Ange Postecoglou, with the new Rangers manager having managed to stimulate some level of form from his ailing side.

Rangers again had to win to stand any chance in the Scottish Premiership title race and blew it when Kyogo Furuhashi scored a late equaliser.

Daizen Maeda had given Celtic an early lead in the game before Ryan Kent equalised for a resurgent Rangers just minutes after the restart.

A James Tavernier penalty looked to have secured all three points for the Gers but Michael Beale’s team just couldn’t hold on.

Rangers 3 – 0 Celtic (13/05/23)

The last time Ange Postecoglou came to Ibrox, he left with his cheeks red after a rampant Rangers ran over his Celtic team.

Rangers put in a showing that was too little, too late, to absolutely thump our rivals and give the club’s frustrated support something to cheer at the end of the season.

Todd Cantwell scored an early goal to get Rangers off to a perfect start before John Souttar and Fashion Sakala scored in the second half.

Rangers fans would certainly take more in the same in the Europa League as Ange Postecoglou takes his Spurs team to Glasgow!

Verdict

Whilst Ange Postecoglou never had it all his way on Ibrox, the Australian got big results at the stadium when it mattered.

Having been beaten twice, Rangers secured an important early victory over Celtic at the beginning of Postecoglou’s tenure.

However the former Parkhead boss made it back when he beat Rangers 2-1 at Ibrox later in the season, a result which ultimately proved pivotal in the title race.

The same can be said of the following season, when Postecoglou got the result that mattered in a 2-2 draw at Ibrox.

On both occasions, Rangers blew opportunities and their chance to stay in a title hunt, which Celtic took a big step to the trophy.

The final match, whilst a thumping 3-0 victory, shows Postecoglou’s gung-ho system to be flawed if approached correctly.

But given the Premiership title had been effectively decided, it’s about as close to a dead rubber as you’re going to get in the Old Firm derby.

There have been several players who’ve been lucky enough to pull on the famous blue of Rangers and also turn out in the white of Tottenham Hotspur.

Between London and Glasgow, things have certainly changed over the years with Rangers once attracting some of Spurs’ best players.

Nowadays, Tottenham operate in a whole other Premier League stratosphere to Rangers and it’s a dynamic which has heaped extra scrutiny on this week’s Europa League clash.

But before things kick off in Glasgow, here we list 14 players who’ve turned out for both Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur since WWII.

Whilst this list may not be exhaustive, we’ve excluded the likes of former Rangers loanees Dominic Ball and Nathan Oduwa, who never played a first team match for Spurs.

There’s an honourable mention for ex-Spurs half-back Walter Tull, who was the first player of African descent ever signed by Rangers in 1917.

British Army Officer Tull – who joined the Gers during WW1 – never got the chance to play for the Ibrox club after being killed on active duty.

Alfie Conn

Richard Gough

Graham Roberts

Graeme Souness (player only)

Paul Gascoigne

Gordon Durie

Mark Falco

Alan Hutton

Pedro Mendes

Niko Kranjcar

Jermain Defoe

Rangers are preparing to host Tottenham Hotspur in a Europa League Battle of Britain special this week.

The Gers and the Spurs are tied on ten points after the first five matches of the European tournament’s revamped league phase, with Philippe Clement’s side narrowly above the Premier League outfit on goal difference.

Philippe Clement reckons Tottenham are in ‘another league financially’ than Rangers but has challenged his young team to stand up and be counted.

The match also has an extra dynamic given it will be the first time under pressure ex-Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou returns to Scotland.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Rangers v Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League.

Rangers v Spurs kick-off time

Rangers are set to host Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday 12th December with kick-off scheduled for 20:00 or 8pm at Ibrox Stadium.

This is Rangers’ third home match of the Europa League league phase, having been beaten 4-1 by Lyon and having defeated FCSB 4-0 earlier in the competition.

Rangers v Spurs TV channel & how to watch

Rangers v Tottenham Hotspur will be live on TNT Sports 1 on Thursday evening, with the Battle of Britain clash being given top billing by the broadcaster.

MORE RANGERS STORIES

Coverage begins live from Ibrox at 7pm.

Rangers v Spurs referee & VAR

The bulk of the refereeing team who will take charge of Rangers v Tottenham Hotspur are from Switzerland

Swiss whistler Sandro Schärer will take charge of proceedings, with countrymen Stéphane De Almeida and Jonas Erni his assistants.

Fourth official Lionel Tschudi is also from Switzerland, as if Video Assistant Referee Fedayi San.

Portuguese official Tiago Martins will be the VAR assistant in Glasgow.

This will be Sandro Schärer’s first Europa League match of the season but his 18th in the competition in total.

Schärer refereed West Ham’s 3-0 Quarter Final win over Lyon in 21/22 and has only ever shown one red card in the competition.

This was in his first ever Europa League match in 2016, when he sent off Krasnodar defender Andreas Granqvist in a 2-1 defeat to OGC Nice.

Rangers v Spurs team & injury news

Rangers go into the game with two players currently sidelined with injury.

Whilst Philippe Clement is yet to confirm the complete state of the Rangers squad, Neraysho Kasanwirjo is definitely out whilst Tom Lawrence is also recovering from injury.

Oscar Cortes is a doubt despite returning to first-team training whilst Rabbi Matondo joins Danilo and Ianis Hagi in not being registered for the competition.

Tottenham Hotspur also have a number of major injury problems heading into the game.

Influential centre-back Cristian Romero is out for six weeks, with Dutch centre-back Micky van de Ven also a doubt after the 4-3 defeat to Chelsea.

Welsh left-back Ben Davies also missed the clash with the Blues and is a doubt for the game, with Brennan Johnson falling ill at half-time in London.

Italian goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is out until February so will miss the clash at Ibrox.

French winger Wilson Odobert will miss the clash with Rangers due to a hamstring injury, as will influential Brazilian winger Richarlison.

Teenager winger Mikey Moore is also recovering from a mystery illness.

Rangers v Spurs past meetings

Rangers have only played Spurs once in competitive competition, the two sides meeting in the 1962/63 European Cup Winners’ Cup second round.

Spurs won both legs of the clash, defeated Rangers 5-2 in London before the Gers lost 3-2 at Ibrox.

Tottenham would go on to lift the trophy that season, defeating Atlético Madrid 5-1 in the final, Jimmy Greaves famously netting two of the goals.

The two sides also contested a friendly tournament in July 2022, Spurs beating Rangers 2-1 to lift the inaugural Walter Tull Memorial Trophy.

Back in 1917, Tull was the first player of African descent to ever sign for Rangers, although he never played for Rangers before his death in WW1.

The former half-back also spent two years at Tottenham Hotspur between 1909 and 1911.

Philippe Clement has some big decisions to make as Rangers prepare to welcome Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League.

An under-fire Spurs team are under pressure to deliver in Glasgow, with ex-Celtic manager Ange Postecoglu cutting a dejected figure ahead of his return to Scotland.

All the talk has been focused on the players Spurs could be missing for the game against Rangers, with influential Argentine centre-back Cristian Romero ruled out for six weeks.

But Rangers have plenty of injury problems of their own, not to mention the small matter of the Premier Sports Cup Final against Celtic on Sunday afternoon.

Rangers injuries ahead of Europa League clash

Rangers have not had their injury problems to seek this season with several high profile stars struggling for fitness throughout the campaign.

It’s a marked increase on the injury situation which has plagued Rangers in recent seasons however, with the club only losing a handful of players at any given time compared with as many as 12 last season.

As things stand, Rangers only have two high profile injury problems in their squad at present.

Neraysho Kasanwirjo – who is back at Feyenoord – is unlikely to kick a ball for Rangers again this season, although the Gers have been linked with a permanent move.

MORE RANGERS STORIES

Tom Lawrence is also ‘on schedule’ to return for Rangers but the Welsh playmaker is not likely to be passed fit for the Europa League clash with Spurs.

Rangers also have the likes of Oscar Cortes and Rabbi Matondo returning to first-team training but the club is expected to take their time integrating both players back into the squad.

Besides, Matondo is not included in the Rangers Europa League squad for the tournament’s group stage.

And that’s precisely why two high profile decisions have already been made for Philippe Clement ahead of the Europa League tie v Tottenham.

Rangers duo not registered for Spurs clash

Attacking Rangers pair Ianis Hagi and Danilo have brought fresh energy and invention to the Ibrox team in recent weeks.

It’s no coincidence that Rangers’ recent upturn in form has coincided with this attacking duo’s resurgence at Ibrox but neither player will be available against Spurs.

That’s because neither Ianis Hagi nor Danilo have been selected in Rangers’ Europa League squad, meaning the two players will have to watch on like the rest of us come Thursday night.

It does however hand an opportunity to two other Rangers players, who have the chance to make themselves heroes against Spurs in the Europa League.

All things being equal, Ianis Hagi and Danilo should also be in line to return against Celtic, well-rested and eager to make an impression at Hampden.

The pressure is rising on Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou ahead of the Europa League trip to face Rangers.

A stuttering Spurs side find themselves in the bottom half of the Premier League table, with Postecoglou’s gung-ho tactics coming in for criticism.

The Australian manager cut a dejected figure as he reflected on the Chelsea defeat, with fans beginning to fear the worst as the tide of momentum turns in North London.

But whilst Rangers fans watch the developments at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with anticipation, one of the team’s leading players has just suffered another big injury.

Christian Romero ruled out of Rangers clash

Ange Postecoglou lamented the loss of Argentine World Cup winning defender Cristian Romero as being crucial to the Spurs collapse v Chelsea.

As Spurs raced into a 2-0 lead, Romero pulled up with a quad injury and had to be replaced with the defender amongst several major injury problems ahead the clash with Rangers.

Revered Argentine journalist Gaston Edul is claiming that the ‘muscle’ problem is now set to keep Romero out for a period of six weeks.

MORE RANGERS STORIES

Cristian Romero, 26, is a crucial player for Tottenham and not without good reason.

The Argentina international is key part of Lionel Scaloni’s all-conquering side, who’ve won back-to-back Copa America titles either side of the 2022 World Cup.

Now, Cristian Romero has given strong backing to Ange Postecoglou in an emotional appeal to supporters for patience in the Australian’s methods.

Whilst these comments may fall on deaf ears, they give an insight into a dressing room that has not given up on the ex-Celtic manager, even if many fans already have.

Spurs star backing Ange Postecoglou

“He’s a great coach,” Romero told Telemundo. “We saw it in the first season. In this second one we’ve suffered a lot of injuries.

“Players are the first one to be criticised, then if we lose 10 games, the staff can be changed, but nobody talks about what is actually happening.

“We are very happy with this staff, me and my colleagues. We love how they work and the football they try to play. We’ll try to move on quickly.”

Former Rangers captain Lee McCulloch was no stranger to the big occasion during his time at Ibrox.

The Gers Hall of Famer kept the blue flag flying high all the way through Europe and was an Ibrox titan on UEFA Cup and Champions League duties.

Now, Lee McCulloch has been talking about Rangers’ chances in the Europa League against Tottenham Hotspur this week as Ange Postecoglou returns to Glasgow.

The Premier League outfit are big favourites against Rangers given the financial disparity between the sides, something even Philippe Clement agrees with.

But Lee McCulloch reckons there is no better time to be playing Spurs than right now, with chaos enveloping Ange Postecoglou’s White Hart Reign.

Rangers playing Tottenham at ‘great time’

Ex-Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou finds himself under immense pressure as Tottenham Hotspur’s season threatens to unravel.

The Australian manager cut a dejected figure following Spurs’ 4-3 defeat to Chelsea, where the North London club let slip a 2-0 first half lead.

With Postecoglou admitting fans are fearing the worst at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a Europa League trip to an increasingly on-form Rangers is a potentially daunting prospect.

MORE RANGERS STORIES

And Lee McCulloch reckons that whilst Rangers are playing one of the world’s best, the match couldn’t be coming at a better time.

”They’re playing against a team that’s in arguably the best league in the world,” said McCulloch, as quoted by STV.

“They’ve got some tremendous individual players.

“But they are under a bit of pressure just now.

“So as much as we’re saying it’s good timing for us because this is arguably the highest part of our season so far, it’s also arguably the lowest part of their season.

“I think it’s a great time to get them.”

Ex-Rangers captain on Europa League expectations

Philippe Clement and even Lee McCulloch might point to a disparity in finances between Rangers, Spurs and the north/south footballing divide.

But that won’t stop Rangers fans arriving at Ibrox on Europa League duties with the expectation that their team turns up and puts in a worthy performance.

Whilst McCulloch reckons that this will be a positive experience for the Rangers team, the 46-year-old is clear that fans are expecting a positive result.

“It will be a great experience for the players against that standard of opposition,” said McCulloch.

“But when you’re a Rangers player then expectations are there every time you step on to the pitch.

“So the fans will be demanding a positive result.”