Royal Antwerp will host Rangers group stage Europa League rivals and familiar foes Standard Liege the weekend before they play the Gers.
In fact, the Belgians have an intense doubleheader before the February 18th Round of 32 date with Steven Gerrard’s side, Franky Vercauteren’s side also facing Club Brugge in the Belgian Cup this Wednesday.
But it will be the tie with Standard which will most interest Rangers fans as it could give a small insight into the calibre of team we’re playing compared to one we’ve already faced.
When Rangers beat Standard 2-0 on enemy soil it was the side’s first European home defeat at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne since 2014, a run stretching 16 matches.
Teams such as Arsenal, Eintracht Frankfurt, Ajax, Sevilla and Celta Vigo have all failed to take maximum points from the ground.
Rangers’ impressive 3-2 Ibrox win against Standard also secured qualification for the knockout stages as the Gers took six from six from the other Belgian side they’ve faced this season.
However, Antwerp are – at the time of writing – five points ahead of Standard in the Belgian Jupiler League and obviously managed to navigate their way out of the group stages.
Rangers will be well prepared whatever the case as excitement continues to build over the return of European football in the second half of the campaign.
However, with Covid-19 regulations tightening across Europe UEFA have been forced to release new guidelines for clubs regarding matches.
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard reassured fans that the Ibrox side will do everything they can to assure the match with the Belgian side can be played.
