Osijek v Rangers Betting Preview – UEFA Europa League 26th July 7.45pm
Both of these teams were in the first qualifying round of the Europa League. Rangers collected a comfortable success in their tie against Shkupi but will have been a bit disappointed at perhaps not having made more of themselves in an attacking sense. Osijek narrowly got through their first qualifying round tie by a one-goal margin and will be looking to stifle the challenge of Rangers on home soil in this first leg.
Osijek News and Form
Croatian side Osijek were, like Rangers, in action in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa league. They made it past Romanian side Petrocub Hincesti from Romania by a 3-1 aggregate to set themselves up with this shot against Rangers. It can often be tricky to gauge these relatively unknown clubs from mainland Europe, but Rangers will have to be wary of Osijek. Last season the Croatians started in the first qualifying round of the Europa league and managed to get through to the play-off round where they lost out on away goals to Austria Vienna despite winning the second leg away from home. They did get the better of PSV Eindhoven in the third qualifying round in what was a bit of an upset. Each of the six victories that Osijek collected in Europa league qualifying last season all came with a clean sheet. They are W7 D1 L2 in their last ten European league games now their overall record in Europa League qualifiers is W9 D1 L4. Given that the Croatians are on home soil for this one it does lend a bit of value to a 1-0 option at 6/1 odds in the bet365 correct score market* (Betting Odds were taken from July 23rd, 2018 at 11:49 p.m.).
Rangers News and Form
Rangers secured a 2-0 aggregate win over Macedonian side Shkupi in the first qualifying round of this season’s Europa League. Both goals came at home in the first leg before collecting a 0-0 draw on the road. So it has been something of a positive start from Steven Gerrard in his tenure at Rangers, and they never really looked in great trouble across the two legs. But they will have been disappointed in perhaps not having produced a lot more up front over the two legs. They didn’t look the biggest of offensive threats against less than average opposition. But defensively they seemed to hold their shape well. Under 2.5 goals is at 4/6 odds* (Betting Odds were taken from July 23rd, 2018 at 11:49 p.m.) and is our prediction for Osijek v Rangers. It’s already been better than it was for Rangers last summer when they embarrassingly lost in the first round of qualifying against Luxembourg minnows Progres Niederkorn which was after a six-year absence from European action. This is a going to be a much bigger test for them, especially on the road in this first leg, then they got against Shkupi.
Osijek v Rangers Head to Head
Osijek and Rangers will be playing their first ever match against each other.
Osijek v Rangers Betting Odds*
Osijek 5/4
Rangers 11/5
Draw 9/4
* (Betting Odds were taken from July 23rd, 2018 at 11:49 p.m.)
Osijek v Rangers Predictions
We are going with the Croatians in this one. We didn’t see much of Rangers as an attacking threat against a lesser side in the first qualifying round. They weren’t troubled that much at the back either but Osijek look as if they could cause them a problem or two and we are backing a home win.
