Rangers late team news: Major injury blow, Real Betis issues, probable starting XI

Rangers will aim to get their Europa League campaign off to a positive start when they host Real Betis at Ibrox in their opening Group C fixture on Thursday.

Michael Beale’s side are in need of a morale-boosting result after an inauspicious start to the season that has seen them lose two of their opening five Scottish Premiership fixtures before being ejected from the Champions League following a 7-3 aggregate defeat to PSV Eindhoven.

The 1-0 home loss to an under-strength Celtic side in the first Old Firm derby of the season at Ibrox led to a supporter revolt inside the stadium following full-time and piled pressure on manager Michael Beale, which remains the case despite the weekend win over St Johnstone.

Given the circumstances the Rangers boss would have preferred to have his full squad available to him but, in a major blow, he will be without three of his key players for the Europa League opener.

Rangers manager Michael Beale faces the media ahead of the Europa League fixture against Real Betis at Ibrox. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

Nicolas Raskin will miss the next month with a calf injury picked up at McDiarmid Park on Saturday. He joins fellow midfielder Todd Cantwell and Brazilian striker Danilo on the sidelines, with the latter having to undergo an operation on the fractured cheekbone he sustained in scoring the first goal in Perth.

Kieran Dowell is also injured but has not been included in the Europa League squad, along with long-term injury casualty Leon King.

Betis, meanwhile, have concerns in the goalkeeper department after first-choice Rui Silva, the Portugal international, was taken off at the weekend with a thigh injury and replaced by debutant Fran Vieites, who usually plays for Betis B. With the Spaniards’ only other experienced stopper, 40-year-old Claudio Bravo, yet to feature this season as he battles to recover from a calf injury, it leaves boss Manuel Pellegrini facing the prospect of starting his third choice ‘keeper at Ibrox.

Captain and Mexico international Andres Guardado had been missing with an ankle injury but could return along with William Carvalho, who has won 80 caps for Portugal, and right-back Aitor Ruibal. Brazilian striker Willian Jose has scored four of Betis’s five goals this season. Spain internationals Hector Bellerin and Borja Iglesias are also in the Betis squad.

Probable Rangers starting XI: Butland; Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Barisic; Cifuentes, Lundstram; Matondo, Lawrence, Sima; Roofe.