Rangers, one of the most illustrious clubs in Scottish history, will kick off their 2022–2023 Champions League campaign on Wednesday night in Amsterdam against Ajax, the team that won the Eredivisie the previous season.
While the home team will be hoping to get back on track after suffering a big loss in the Old Firm derby the previous weekend, the home team will also be attempting to win their sixth consecutive game across all competitions.
Match Preview: Ajax vs. Rangers
Ajax has won their first five Eredivisie matches despite losing Erik ten Hag, Antony, Lisandro Martinez, and Sebastien Haller during the summer.
Devyne Rensch and Mohammed Kudus also scored in the Dutch club’s 4-0 home win against Cambuur last weekend.
Ajax is seldom pushed domestically, but they’ll play Rangers, Liverpool, and Napoli in the Champions League.
Celtic have won all four prior competitive meetings with Rangers, including both 1996-97 Champions League group-stage matches.
Ajax won all six of their group-stage games last season and will be looking to advance for the third time in five years.
Rangers qualified for the Champions League group stage after defeating Union SG and PSV Eindhoven.
While returning to Europe’s best club tournament is exciting, morale was given a hit last weekend when Rangers lost 4-0 to Celtic in the Old Firm rivalry.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst and his team need to ponder on their “extremely poor” performance at Parkhead, but they have little time to fix problems in training since they have four games in 11 days.
Last season’s Europa League finalists have won both of their previous trips to the Netherlands, including a 1-0 second-leg win against PSV last month.
Van Bronckhorst, a 2010 World Cup runner-up with 106 appearances for the Netherlands, will return to familiar ground on Wednesday.
However, his management record against Ajax leaves much to be desired, having won just two of his previous 10 games against them when in charge of Feyenoord.
Rangers have only moved from the group stage once in 10 Champions League appearances, in 2005-06. A win in midweek would increase their prospects of doing so this season.
Team News: Ajax vs. Rangers
Owen Wijndal will miss Wednesday’s games with an ankle injury, while Mohamed Ihattaren has fitness difficulties.
Kenneth Taylor might be recalled ahead of Davy Klaassen, while Kudus and Florian Grillitsch will compete to play in midfield. Grillitsch has yet to make his debut for the club after joining on a free transfer from Hoffenheim.
Calvin Bassey, who Rangers sold to Ajax for a club-record amount this summer, will start at center-back with Jurrien Timber, protecting 38-year-old goalkeeper Remko Pasveer.
Bergwijn is anticipated to start in a front three with captain Dusan Tadic and Brian Brobbey, with Lucas Ocampos on the bench.
Tom Lawrence missed the Old Firm derby with a knee injury, and Van Bronckhorst said he’ll be out for a few weeks.
Kemar Roofe and Ianis Hagi are also sidelined with injuries.
Jon McLaughlin gifted Celtic their fourth goal last weekend, yet he’s set to start over Allan McGregor, who started Rangers’ last Champions League game in 2010.
Alfredo Morelos returned to the matchday squad and came on as a substitute against Celtic. The Colombian may have to settle for a bench spot in midweek, with Antonio Colak anticipated to start up front after scoring seven goals in 10 games since joining the Gers this summer.
- Ajax Possible Starting Lineup: Pasveer; Rensch, Timber, Bassey, Blind; Taylor, Alvarez, Berghuis; Tadic, Brobbey, Bergwijn
- Rangers Possible Starting Lineup: McLaughlin; Tavernier, Goldson, Sands, Barisic; Jack, Lundstram, Kamara; Tillman, Colak, Kent
Our Prediction: Ajax 2-1 Rangers
Ajax has had a strong start to the season and will be playing in front of their supporters on Wednesday, but Rangers thrive on the European stage and should not be overlooked.
The Gers will want to bounce back from last weekend’s loss, but the hosts should open their group stage campaign with three points.
