Rangers have defeated Fenerbahce on penalty kicks to earn a place in the Europa League knockouts – but the result comes at a cost for Barry Ferguson’s side.
Rangers couldn’t quite hit the heights of the team’s impressive 3-1 away performance in the first leg of the Europa League Round of 16 tie.
But the Rangers team did just about enough to get through the two-legged affair with Jack Butland the hero after making two wonderful penalty kick saves.
With Fenerbahce 2-0 winners on the night, there is plenty of fall-out surrounding Jose Mourinho’s public complaints about the officiating.
That’s even if Mourinho paid tribute to the Rangers fans come full-time.
And it’s the whistler’s book which is set to impact Rangers with two of the club’s top Europa League performers now set to miss the first leg against Athletic Bilbao.
Two Rangers players suspended for Athletic visit
Rangers know they will face Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League quarter finals after dumping Fenerbahce on penalty kicks.
But the Spanish outfit are certainly the more difficult option when compared to AS Roma, with the La Liga’s fourth place side hosting this season’s Europa League Final.
Had Roma qualified Rangers would’ve also played the second leg at Ibrox owing to UEFA rules about clashes within cities and given Lazio have reached this stage of the competition.
But Rangers will have to face Athletic Bilbao at Ibrox without two key players after Mohamed Diomande and John Souttar were shown yellow cards in the game.
Souttar was shown a yellow for shoving Anderson Talisca to the deck before Diomande was harshly punished for what looked like a dive by the Fenerbahce defender.
With Souttar now earning three yellow cards, the centre-back will be banned for the visit of Athletic on the 10th of April but will return for the second leg on the 17th.
Diomande picked up his fifth yellow card for Rangers and will miss his second game of the tournament through suspension, having been unavailable for the trip to Old Trafford.
How can Rangers replace Souttar and Diomande?
Rangers know that losing John Souttar and Mohamed Diomande is a sizeable blow to the club’s chances in the Europa League.
Souttar was a man mountain in both legs with the centre-back’s aggression a real strength at the heart of the Ibrox side’s defence.
| John Souttar v Fenerbahce | |
| Blocks | 3 |
| Clearances (headed) | 15 (7) |
| Interceptions | 2 |
| Defensive actions | 22 |
| Recoveries | 4 |
| Duels won (%) | 5 (56%) |
| Aerial duels won | 4/6 (67%) |
| Fouls committed | 2 |
Robin Propper is likely to deputise the Scotland international against what is a potent and dangerous Athletic attack.
In midfield, Rangers will feel the loss of Diomande with no real player in the squad capable of mirroring the Ivorian’s role in the team.
Connor Barron stepped into midfielder alongside Dio and Nicolas Raskin for the two legs with Fenerbahce and Rangers may stick with a three v Athletic.
Tom Lawrence impressed coming into the position against Fenerbahce at Ibrox and will be a frontrunner to come in for the clash against the Spanish outfit.
