Rangers team: Giovanni van Bronckhorst places faith in Europa League starting XI to finish job over Red Star

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has made no changes to the Rangers team which made such great strides towards the Europa League quarter final last week.

Carrying a 3-0 advantage to the Rajko Mitic Stadium, Rangers are 90 minutes away from the last eight – a stage they have not featured at since Walter Smith’s side of 2008 went all the way to the Manchester final of the competition, then known as the UEFA Cup.

Rangers have fallen at this last 16 hurdle as recently as last year when eliminated by Slavia Prague, but Ibrox goals from James Tavernier, Alfredo Morelos and Leon Balogun have given the Scottish champions an excellent chance of progress.

Dejan Stankovic has said that the atmosphere shouldn’t intimidate Rangers – but it will boost the Belgrade side and Giovanni van Bronckhorst has placed his faith in the same starting XI to get the job done.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has picked the same side which defeated Red Star 3-0 at Ibrox. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Making the long walk down the 280m tunnel will be Allan McGregor, James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Leon Balogun, Calvin Bassey, Ryan Jack, John Lundstram, Glen Kamara, Alfredo Morelos, Joe Aribo and Ryan Kent.

That’s a side identical to the one which lined up against the Serbians last Thursday – but changed from the weekend Scottish Cup win over Dundee where Jon McLaughlin was in goal and Filip Helander, Aaron Ramsey and James Sands were involved. All but Helander drop to the bench and their places go to McGregor, Balogun, Lundstram and Aribo for the match which kicks off at 5.45pm in the UK.

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