Scottish champions Rangers are on the brink of disaster in the Champions League facing a 2-1 deficit against Malmö ahead of the second leg in the third qualifying round.
Bookmaker 1xBit has the odds at 1.90 for the first goal to come before the 29th minute and at 2.20 for it to come later. The odds are at 10.50 for the match to finish goalless.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: August 9th, 12:30 P.M. (EST)
Steven Gerrard saw his men struggle last week in Sweden and only scored in injury time. The team also failed to produce a bounce-back performance as a 1-0 loss against Dundee United followed, which ended Rangers’ 40-game unbeaten run in the Scottish Premiership.
The Gers have been very consistent under Gerrard and now need to regain their mojo quickly to continue their Champions League campaign, which is the first one for the club in 10 years.
Gerrard, who has yet to suffer a three-game losing streak during his young managerial career, will hope to get a boost by a couple of returning players and a packed Ibrox stadium.
Ianis Hagi missed the Dundee game with a knock, Leon Balogun was suspended for the first leg and Alfredo Morelos wasn’t available for the match in Sweden as he went through quarantine after his return from the Copa America.
The Colombian striker often frustrates his team with his poor temperament, but the 25-year-old is a real menace for the opposition and the Malmö defense has to be at its very best against him.
Morelos had an amazing European campaign in 2018-19 with 14 goals in 17 games and he’s bagged 94 total goals for Rangers in 183 appearances. It will take a big effort from the Swedish champions to keep him in check.
Malmö have started to dominate Swedish football and they will have high hopes for their European season as well after adding some nice quality to the squad this year.
Former Serie A and Bundesliga defender Niklas Moisander is one of Malmö’s signings. The Finnish veteran has played against some of the very best strikers on the continent and manager Jon Dahl Tomasson will hope that his experience will help Malmö to neutralize Morales.
Tomasson, who faced Gerrard as a member of AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final, has so far had a very successful run as Malmö manager winning 41 and losing just 11 of 67 matches. Another positive result at the Ibrox would give his managerial stock a further boost.
