COVID-19, court case appeal and Fellaini's financial bail-out: Standard Liege in focus ahead of Rangers Europa League group stage opener

Rangers begin a third consecutive Europa League group stage campaign tomorrow as they take on Standard Liege.
Standard Liege's players have had much to celebrate after a bright start to their Jupiler Pro League season - which came after a courtroom reprieve (Photo by VIRGINIE LEFOUR/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)Standard Liege's players have had much to celebrate after a bright start to their Jupiler Pro League season - which came after a courtroom reprieve (Photo by VIRGINIE LEFOUR/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
Standard Liege's players have had much to celebrate after a bright start to their Jupiler Pro League season - which came after a courtroom reprieve (Photo by VIRGINIE LEFOUR/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

Their opponents are currently fourth in the Jupiler Pro League and have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in recent days. Here is the lowdown on the side Rangers will visit in Wallonia on Thursday night.

Form

Had things turned out differently over the summer, Standard may have found themselves plumbing Belgian football's depths rather than facing up to Gerrard's team. They were forced to go to court to fight off plans to demote them to the fourth tier of their domestic pyramid after being accused of "poor financial management" by the Belgian FA. Former Standard players and Belgium internationals Marouane Fellaini and Axel Witsel came to the rescue as they contributed to a financial bail-out and from that narrow escape, Standard have refused to look back. They sit just a point behind Jupiler Pro League leaders Club Brugge having suffered just one defeat in nine league games and cruised past Bala Town, Vojvodina and Videoton to qualify for the Europa League.

Marouane Fellaini helped out his former club with a loan  (JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images)Marouane Fellaini helped out his former club with a loan  (JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images)
Marouane Fellaini helped out his former club with a loan (JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images)

Manager

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It is fair to say Philippe Montanier is not remembered too fondly by the supporters of Nottingham Forest. The former Caen and Toulouse goalkeeper lasted just seven months in charge at the City Ground before he was binned in January 2017 with the club languishing three points above the Championship drop zone. But the former Real Sociedad, Rennes and Lens boss has enjoyed better luck with Standard since being appointed in the summer, with his high-pressing style of play producing seven wins and four draws from his 12 games so far.

Players

Record signing Zinho Vanheusden could be set for a return to Inter Milan if he can continue his impressive displays during Standard's European campaign. The 21-year-old joined Standard at the age of just nine but was lured away to Italy in 2015. After failing to make the grade with the Nerazzurri, he rejoined his boyhood club for a 12.5million euro fee last year but the newly-capped Belgium centre-back has recently been linked with another move to the San Siro. Samuel Bastien was the subject of a failed bid from West Ham on transfer deadline day, with Standard rejecting a reported 12 million euro bid after insisting the box-to-box midfielder is worth at least 20 million euros.

Standard's head coach Philippe Montanier was once in charge at Nottingham Forest (Photo by BRUNO FAHY/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)Standard's head coach Philippe Montanier was once in charge at Nottingham Forest (Photo by BRUNO FAHY/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
Standard's head coach Philippe Montanier was once in charge at Nottingham Forest (Photo by BRUNO FAHY/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

Morocco international Selim Amallah has started the season impressively with six goals in 10 appearances so far, while 19-year-old midfield colleague Nicolas Raskin is another raw talent but he is one of four in the Liege set-up to be struck down by positive COVID-19 tests following the draw with league leaders Brugge at the weekend. Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Moussa Sissako are also affected, along with the club goalkeeping coach. Players Damjan Pavlovic and Abdoul Fessal Tapsoba both tested negative but live with Sissako and have been excluded from the group.

European record

Standard's first ever European clash was against Scottish opposition as they claimed a 6-3 European Cup aggregate win over Hearts back in 1958. They edged out Rangers 4-3 over two legs in the quarter-finals three seasons later before being crushed by the all-conquering Real Madrid side of the era in the last four. They did make the final of the Cup Winners' Cup in 1982 but again fell to the Spanish might of Barcelona.

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