Slavia Prague v Rangers: Is it on TV, kick-off time, online stream details, who to watch, form guide, Europa League odds

Scottish champions Rangers are back to business after the high of the weekend Premiership title win with Europa League duty on Thursday evening.

The players were on a high following the win over St Mirren that contributed to the title success, confirmed by Celtic’s failure to beat Dundee United on Sunday, handing Rangers their first top league championship in a decade.

However Steven Gerrard will not allow them to rest on their laurels and it’s down to business in Prague, kicking off a Europa League double-header for the team, with the second leg coming next week and Gerrard’s side not in action this weekend.

Here’s all you need to know ahead of Thursday’s game.

Rangers' Borna Barisic scores a penalty kick during the UEFA Europa League game last week (Photo by DIRK WAEM/BELGA/AFP via Getty Images)

Match details

Who: Slavia Prague v Rangers

What: UEFA Europa League – knock-out stage – last 16, first leg

Where: Sinobo Stadium, Prague

Nathan Patterson scored to make it 2-1 Rangers during the last round home leg against Royal Antwerp. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

When: 5.55pm, Thursday March 11, 2021

How to watch

BT Sports have the European football right in the UK which means it’s BT Sport 3 (Sky channel 413) for Rangers fans. The programme coverage begins at 5.30pm and will also be available to stream via the BT Sport app.

Viewers with an EE mobile phone could be able to tune in free with an offer from the company, by texting SPORT to 150.

Rangers' Ianis Hagi could face his international team-mate (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Opposition Form

Two unbeaten sides domestically have been paired in the Europa League and each boasts a formidable record. For Slavia, who won an astonishing 10-3 a fortnight ago, their European form is strong – but not unblemished like Rangers’ is. Bayer Leverkusen, FC Midjtyland and Hapoel Be’er Sheva have all recorded wins over the Czech league leaders – who have stretched to an 11-point lead over city rivals Sparta in the domestic league during their unbeaten run in the Czech Liga.

Who to Watch

Jan Kuchta is the star striker having moved to the Sinorbo Stadium from Slovan Liberc in the summer and has fired 11 goals in the course of the season – a tally matched by fellow forward Abdallah Dipo Sima. However the man to watch is Romanian midfielder Nicolae Stanciu – the 27-year-old who is close friends with international team-mate Ianis Hagi. Stanciu is joined by Lukas Provod – another creator of several of Slavia’s goals, and the pair combined for the opening goal against Leicester City in the previous round.

Ianis Hagi’s inside track on Slavia Prague

Previous Meetings

Rangers have never faced Slavia Prague – only city rivals Sparta and Dukla. Steven Gerrard’s side have been upsetting the record books recently and they will have to do it again – in each of three meetings with teams from what is now the Czech Republic Rangers have been knocked out. Dukla saw off John Greig’s side in 1981 with a 3-0 away win unable to be overturned at Ibrox in a 2-1 win. Indeed Rangers have never scored on Czech soil. Sparta Prague knocked out Walter Smith’s side in 1991 on away goals, just as Viktoria Zizkov did to Alex McLeish’s side in the 2002/03 Uefa Cup.

What the Slavia Prague coach had to say after drawing Rangers in the last 16

Odds

Slavia Prague 7/5 (McBookie) Draw 23/10 (Skybet, bet365, McBookie) Rangers 21/10 (Bet365, William Hill)

First goal scorer: Abdallah Sima 6/1 (betway), Jan Kuchta 6/1 (betway) Alfredo Morelos 7/1 (betway)

Half-time and Full-time: Rangers-Rangers 9/2 (Boylesports), Rangers-Draw 16/1 (McBookie), Slavia-Draw 15/1 (McBookie), Draw-Rangers 6/1 (Various)

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