Almost five months on, Rangers and Bayer Leverkusen are about to finally finish what they started in a hotly anticipated Europa League duel.
The Ibrox side will travel to Germany hoping for a minor miracle as they look to overcome a 3-1 defeat back in March which has them needing to score three on enemy soil.
It’s a tough ask for Steven Gerrard’s men – but Gary McAllister believes that if the club get the first goal then it’ll make things very interesting indeed.
Rangers fell to a Kai Havertz penalty, Charles Aranguiz strike and late Leon Bailey goal – the third a strike which the Glasgow side might seriously come to rue this week.
George Edmundson’s header offered the Gers hope at 2-0 but that late goal from the pacey Jamaican winger leaves the club with a mountain to climb.
Leverkusen are also adamant that £90m rated superstar Kai Havertz will play, even if the Germans have barely kicked a ball since a German Cup defeat in early July.
It might be a tall order – but it’s certainly not impossible as Rangers seek to earn a spot in the Europa League quarter-finals in this captivating duel.
The club will be forced to use those representatives from last season’s Europa League squad so new signings Jon McLaughlin, Calvin Bassey and Leon Balogun will miss out.
Matches like these are the reason why so many of this young Gers side signed up and we’re going to need a big performance from our biggest stars if we’re to turn this tie around.
It wouldn’t be the first glorious comeback of the European campaign either.
Here’s the XI we think is going to turn out for Steven Gerrard as the ex-Liverpool hero looks to resurrect the ghosts of Istanbul and Braga to inspire his Rangers side to a momentous turnaround.
Leverkusen v Rangers – Rangers predicted XI
GK – Allan McGregor
DR – James Tavernier
DC – Connor Goldson
DC – George Edmundson
DL – Borna Barisic
CDM – Glen Kamara
CM – Ryan Jack
CM – Joe Aribo
RF – Ianis Hagi
LF – Ryan Kent
ST – Alfredo Morelos
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