Rangers – RasenBallsport Leipzig: Rapturous Rangers Reach The Europa League Final After An Incredible Ibrox Night (3-1)

The odds were stacked firmly against Rangers, who had a first-leg deficit to overturn in spite of their resilient performance in Germany. Whatsmore, they had to do so without an out-and-out striker on the pitch as Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe were both injured. Nonetheless, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men completed a turnaround that will certainly live long in the memory of the blue side of Glasgow.

Tactical analysis and match report by Neel Shelat.

In a season of transition for Rangers where they lost their most recent title-winning manager Steven Gerrard midway through and replaced him with former player and ex-Feyenoord manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, they were presented with the unlikely chance of reaching their first European final since 2008. Their switch to a back-five in the first leg in Leipzig proved largely successful, but all their defensive work was undone late on when a wonderfully struck Angeliño gave their hosts the lead.

RB Leipzig were also aiming to reach their first European final, but the only difference was that they were not even founded when Rangers faced Zenit St. Petersburg in the 2008 UEFA Cup final. They too changed managers mid-season as Jesse Marsch was replaced by Domenico Tedesco, but theirs was a voluntary decision as Marsch was sacked after a poor run of form and performances. Under Tedesco, they seemed to have their best shot of lifting that elusive first-ever major trophy to date, as he had guided them to the DFB-Pokal final as well as a Europa League semi-final.

Rangers named an unchanged side from the first leg, so Allan McGregor continued in goal with center-backs Connor Goldson and Calvin . . .