Aris Limassol vs Rangers predictions: Gers to get over the line in Limassol
- Aris Limassol ran Sparta Prague close in their Group C opener, losing only 3-2
- Rangers beat group favourites Real Betis 1-0 but are low on confidence and fit players
- Recommended bet: Rangers and under 2.5 goals
The departure of Michael Beale means Rangers are now looking for their fourth manager in under three years and Gers supporters are craving a period of stability.
But amid the finger-pointing and domestic woes at Ibrox, Rangers got themselves off to the best possible start in their Europa League campaign a fortnight ago, deservedly beating Real Betis 1-0.
Defeating the group favourites puts the Scottish side in a great position to qualify from a tough group that also features Sparta Prague, but Rangers must follow up by getting maximum points off sectional minnows Aris Limassol if they hope to secure a top-two spot.
The Cypriot side put up a spirited display in their opener in Prague, taking the lead before eventually losing 3-2, but will know their best chance of gaining any points in Group C will come at their newly constructed 11,000-seater Limassol Arena.
Team news
Interim Rangers manager Steven Davis has the same selection headache as his predecessor with nine players potentially unavailable.
Defender Ridvan Yilmaz and midfielder Ryan Jack both had to come off at half-time last weekend and are unlikely to feature.
Midfielders Kieran Dowell, Todd Cantwell and Tom Lawrence are unavailable through injury and Nicolas Raskin is unlikely to return on Thursday.
Up front, Danilo is out with a fractured cheekbone, Kemar Roofe has a calf injury and Rabbi Matondo has a knee problem that rules him out until November.
Aris Limassol have no reported injuries.
The stats
Aris Limassol were knocked out of the Europa Conference League qualifiers by Azerbaijani side Neftci Baku last season.
However, the Cypriot champions beat Slovan Bratislava – who reached the last 16 of last season’s Europa Conference League – 7-4 on aggregate in the qualifying playoffs for this year’s Europa League group stage.
Rangers reached the Champions League group stage last term – albeit they lost all six games in an extremely strong section – and reached the final of the Europa League in 2021-22.
Prediction
Davis’ first job at Rangers will be to steady the ship after last weekend’s desperately disappointing 3-1 home defeat to Aberdeen led to the sacking of Beale.
And given the Gers’ lengthy injury list, the interim manager might be looking for a safety-first approach against opponents who are limited but may not be quite the whipping boys that many suspect.
The Cypriots have enjoyed plenty of investment in recent years, which has enabled them to sign players of a higher quality such as former Russia international striker Aleksandr Kokorin. His goals helped propel the club to their first ever league title in 2022-23.
The Gers should still have enough to get the job done, but it might not be pretty and, given the state the club finds itself in, Davis would jump at the outcomee of a scrappy, low-scoring victory.
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