Rangers vs Bayer Leverkusen Predictions

• Rangers have scored in 100% of their Europa League matches this season, as have Leverkusen.
• Three or more goals have been scored in three of this pair’s four combined knockouts matches.
• When Rangers played at home in the last round, there were 12 shots on target and 24 shots in total.
• Rangers posted eight shots on target for at home in the last round, while Leverkusen registered six on target away from home.

Rangers up and down

Domestically, it’s been a tough few months for Rangers fans, who’ve seen their team take one step forward then two back a few too many times. Their hopes of seriously challenging for the SPL title have been dashed but their European hopes are still very much alive.

There’s been lots to like about Rangers in Europe this season. Without being outstanding at the back, they’ve defended relatively well and have offered a continued threat in the final third, of that their four goals against Braga are solid proof. What’s more, their best efforts have come at Ibrox, where they’ve won three and drawn one in the Europe League, scoring seven, conceding three and keeping three clean sheets in the process.

However, their defensive efforts against Braga, who scored twice at this venue, in the previous round don’t exactly bode well ahead of a match against a Leverkusen side that are very, very good offensively.

Visitors in flying form

While Rangers have struggled to be consistent of late, Leverkusen have made light work of picking up regular points. Easy winners against Porto in the last round, the Germans are unbeaten in over a month and have now won eight of their last nine. They come into this match off the back of a confidence-boosting 4-0 win over Frankfurt, who reached the semi-finals of this competition last term.

It didn’t go to plan for Leverkusen on the road in the Champions League, but their efforts against Porto during the previous round of this competition bode very well. Against a side with no shortage of European experience, Peter Bosz’s men made light work of both creating chances and scoring goals, as they carved open the Portuguese defence to score three goals away from home. Add that to the fact that they’ve notched multiple goals in four of their last five in the Bundesliga and it’s not at all difficult to envisage the Germans doing well in the final third on Thursday evening.

Goals, goals, goals

All things considered, ‘Over 2.5 Goals’, which may just be priced generously in the early market, is hard to ignore in the betting. Rangers have delivered lots of good attacking play at home in this competition, especially in the last round, but their defensive efforts against Braga don’t bode well. Leverkusen offer lots going forward, but also failed to keep a clean sheet both home and away against Porto. Add in that the shots numbers from the previous round point towards no shortage of attacking action and backing the goals to arrive in no small number at Ibrox appeals.

‘Correct Score’ players are pointed towards a 2-2 draw. The pair created similar amounts in the previous round, especially when Rangers played at home and Leverkusen played away, while clean sheets eluded both.