Why Rangers legend Brian Laudrup won't write his old club off against Borussia Dortmund

Rangers face a mammoth task against Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund on Thursday evening – but Ibrox icon Brian Laudrup doesn’t see it as an insurmountable one.

It is Scotland’s second-placed side against the Bundesliga’s in the Europa League but Laudrup believes that only tells half the story.

Dortmund’s recent form over the past three months shows a consistent patter of inconsistency and they have only managed to string two consecutive wins together once since October.

After registering a win at the weekend they will be seeking to redress that rhythm when Giovanni van Bronkhorst’s team visit – but Laudrup believes hard-work could be key for the Scottish champions, especially if the ‘wrong’ Dortmund show up.

Rangers legend Brian Laudrup thinks there is hope for his old side, despite the magnitude of the task facing them in Dortmund. (Picture: SNS)

“Their biggest issue is consistency. They are a real Jekyll and Hyde team,” he wrote in his Scottish Daily Mail column. “One week they lost 5-2 at home to Bayer Leverkusen. The next, they go away and beat a good Union Berlin side 3-0 with some top-class football.

“They also went out the German Cup to a second-division team in St Pauli. Finding a steady level of performance has been almost impossible.

“That gives Rangers hope. It’s still going to be an absolutely massive task over two legs - make no mistake - but I certainly wouldn’t write off the Ibrox side, particularly, if the ‘wrong’ Dortmund turn up.”

Top scorer Erling Haaland will be missing and Laudrup believes BVB always give opposition sides a chance – it’s just a matter of taking them.

“Going forward, they can be tremendous at times. World-class really. They have so many different players who can create and score, but they play a high-risk game and they always make mistakes in matches.

“I don’t feel their work rate is as good without the ball, so those are the moments when you can really hurt them.

“Dortmund have only had three clean sheets in the Bundesliga this season, which I find amazing. You will get chances against them if you can capitalise on their instability when they lose possession,” he added.

Rangers will have Ryan Jack back for the game but Leon Balogun misses out, which has hinted at Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s defensive line-up with Filip Helander removed from the European squad.

Get a year of unlimited access to all The Scotsman's sport coverage without the need for a full subscription. Expert analysis of the biggest games, exclusive interviews, live blogs, transfer news and 70 per cent fewer ads on Scotsman.com – all for less than £1 a week. Subscribe to us today.