Rangers face Slavia Prague for spot in Europa League quarter-finals

Rangers are in the Europa League last 16 (Photo by RUSSELL CHEYNE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Swiss international Hakan Yakin made the draw in Switzerland this lunchtime and Steven Gerrard’s side was pitched into a fixture with the side who eliminated former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City in the previous round. The winner will progress to the quarter finals and edge closer to May’s final in Gdansk.

Rangers reached this stage last season and were eliminated by German powerhouses Bayer Leverkusen in a prolonged two-legged tie. The sides met at Ibrox a day before football was locked down amid the COVID-19 pandemic last March and the second leg concluded in August.

Rangers have previously met Slavia’s city rivals Sparta Prague, but this is lining up to be the first competitive meeting between the sides.

Slavia’s coach has previously highlighted Rangers as a preferred opponent. Coach Jindrich Trpisovsky eyed a draw with Gerrard’s Scottish Premiership leaders in the previous draw back in December, when Slavia were unseeded and paired with Rodgers’ Leicester and Rangers drew Royal Antwerp.

Czech football currently has the upper hand on Scotland with Slavia’s city rivals Sparta Prague hammering Rangers’ Old Firm rivals Celtic 4-1 in each of their two group stage encounters earlier this season. Slavia came through a group stage section as runners-up to Bayer Leverkusen, but finished ahead of French Ligue 1 side Nice and Hapoel Beer She’va of Israel.

Other notable ties for the last 16 included Manchester United and AC Milan being paired by Swiss international Yakin and Arsenal facing Olympiakos.

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