Rangers’ mystery second pre-season friendly opponent in Spain has been officially revealed as Malaysian powerhouse Johor Darul Ta’zim.
Derek McInnes and Co. jetted out to Alicante on Friday, 10 July, for an intensive warm-weather training camp designed to build match fitness ahead of the upcoming Scottish Premiership curtain-raiser.
The Light Blues kicked off their match preparations on Sunday with a hard-fought 1-1 closed-doors draw against South African giants Kaizer Chiefs, with Findlay Curtis rescuing a late draw with a cross-cum-shot strike.
While the club had kept their second fixture under wraps, JDT broke the silence on Monday by confirming they will face the Glasgow giants as part of their own ambitious, nine-game tour of Spain.
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Rangers clash with dominant Malaysian giants
The match is officially scheduled to take place on Thursday, 16 July, in Spain, with the time and the stadium yet to be revealed.
The Southern Tigers represent a highly unique and fascinating test for McInnes’ side.
JDT have completely dominated Malaysian football, securing 12 consecutive Malaysia Super League titles, and are preparing for their upcoming AFC Champions League Elite campaign.
The fixture also carries an intriguing transfer subplot for the Ibrox faithful.
Johor Darul Ta’zim are the parent club of Malaysia international winger Arif Aiman Hanapi, who was heavily linked with a potential move to Govan in 2024.
While a transfer never materialised, Rangers‘ defensive unit will now get a first-hand look at the explosive wide-man on the pitch in Spain.
McInnes has golden opportunity to tune the engine room
With the competitive Scottish campaign kicking off in just over two weeks, this fixture offers McInnes a crucial opportunity to fine-tune his tactical setup.
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The manager heavily rotated his squad against the Kaizer Chiefs, handing valuable minutes to summer arrivals Ben Godfrey, Ross McCrorie, Dan Neil and Lawrence Shankland.
Facing a highly organised, physically fit JDT side – managed by former Sheffield Wednesday boss Xisco Munoz – will give the technical staff another vital look at their new defensive pairings and midfield combinations before breaking camp to return to Glasgow.
It remains to be seen if the game will be open to the public.
Rangers played behind-closed-doors friendlies against Raith Rovers and Dunfermline Athletic before heading out to Spain, thus making this their fourth preparation match of the summer.
