- Both sides are on three points in Group C 
- Rangers sit second in Scotland, seven points behind leaders Celtic
- Recommended bet: Sparta Prague to win

New Rangers boss Philippe Clement's second game in charge is a tricky Europa League Group C clash at Sparta Prague.

The Belgian coach began his reign at Ibrox with a convincing 4-0 win over Hibs in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday but a trip to Prague in Europe's second-tier competition looks like being a much sterner test.

Sparta are top of the Czech league and have won four of their last five games in all competitions, with the only setback in that run being a 2-1 defeat at Real Betis on matchday two in this group.

Rangers managed a fine 1-0 win over Betis in their first game in the competition this season but they followed that up with a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Aris Limassol earlier this month.

Team news

Left-back Borna Barisic limped off in the win over Hibernian on Saturday with a reported thigh injury and is set to miss the trip to Prague.

Ridvan Yilmaz came on for his Croatian team-mate at Ibrox but the Turkey international is not in the Gers' Europa League squad so Clement must look at other options.

Leon Balogun is also unavailable so Dujon Sterling could feature, while Todd Cantwell is pushing for a start after coming off the bench at the weekend.

Tom Lawrence, Kieran Dowell and Rabbi Matondo have all been ruled out for Rangers through injury.

Sparta forward Lukas Haraslin, who has scored seven league goals so far this term, is still absent with a calf injury so Jakub Pesek should again start in attack after he was on target against Ceske Budejovice at the weekend. 

Midfielder Veljko Birmancevic came on as a second-half sub on Sunday but could be handed a recall to the starting line-up for the hosts.

The stats

Sparta are unbeaten in the Czech top flight so far this season and sit top after 10 wins and two draws from their first 12 games.

The hosts beat Ceske Budejovice 4-0 at home on Saturday.

Rangers also warmed up with a 4-0 home victory over Hibs in Clement's first game in charge following the sacking of Michael Beale.

The two sides were in the same group in the 2021-22 Europa League when Rangers finished second and Sparta ended up third.

Rangers won 2-0 at home against the Czech outfit that season but lost 1-0 away.

Prediction

Rangers impressed in Clement's first game in charge as a brace from Abdallah Sima and further strikes from Nicolas Raskin and Cyriel Dessers gave them a comfortable win over Hibs at Ibrox.

Clement will want to build on that showing as he looks to rejuvenate the Glasgow giants, who had lost their way under previous boss Beale, but getting a positive result from the trip to Prague looks extremely difficult.

Sparta have won their last six games at home in all competitions — including a 3-2 success over Aris in their second group game — and they will want to pick up another three points to edge ahead of Rangers in what could prove to be a very tight section with all four teams currently on three points.

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