All You Need to Know About Rangers: Fenerbahçe’s Europa League Opponent
Fenerbahçe’s opponent in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 has been confirmed as Scottish club Rangers.
The first leg of the tie will take place on Thursday, March 6, in Istanbul, while the return match will be held in Scotland on Thursday, March 13.
A Brief History of Rangers
Rangers is the most successful club in Scottish football history.
Founded in 1872 in Glasgow, the club has won 55 Scottish league titles, 34 Scottish League Cups, 34 Scottish Cups, and one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
Playing their home matches at Ibrox Stadium, which has a capacity of 50,817, Rangers is known as one of the two dominant forces in Scottish football alongside their arch-rivals, Celtic.
Rangers’ Current League Standing
Rangers last won the Scottish Premiership title in the 2020/21 season. This season, they are currently second, trailing their rivals Celtic.
After 26 league matches, Rangers have secured 17 wins, 5 draws, and 4 losses, accumulating 56 points. Meanwhile, Celtic leads the league with 69 points.
Rangers’ European Campaign This Season
Rangers started their European journey in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers.
In the third qualifying round, they faced Dynamo Kyiv, drawing 1-1 in the first leg but suffering a 2-0 defeat at home, which ended their Champions League hopes.
They then moved into the UEFA Europa League, where they played eight matches in the league phase, securing 4 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses to finish in 8th place, earning a direct spot in the Round of 16.
During the Europa League group stage, Rangers secured victories against Malmö, Steaua Bucharest, OGC Nice, and Union Saint-Gilloise. They drew with Tottenham and Olympiakos but suffered defeats to Lyon and Manchester United.
Rangers’ Squad & Market Value
Managed by Belgian coach Philippe Clement, who has been in charge for two years, Rangers’ current squad has an estimated market value of €77 million.
Familiar names in their squad include Turkish international Rıdvan Yılmaz and Ianis Hagi, son of Gheorghe Hagi.
With an average squad age of 25.6 years, Rangers’ attacking threats include:
- Vaclav Cerny (10 goals)
- Hamza Igamane (9 goals)
- Cyriel Dessers (8 goals)
Key playmakers in the team are right-back James Tavernier (5 assists) and Ianis Hagi (7 assists), both known for their ability to create goal-scoring opportunities.
