Osijek vs Rangers: TV channel, live stream, squad news & preview

Rangers continue their quest to qualify for the 2018-19 Europa League with a trip to Croatia to take on Osijek.

Steven Gerrard's side will be hoping for an improvement on their last away performance, being held to a scoreless draw by Macedonian side Shkupi. Luckily a 2-0 win at Ibrox in the first leg was enough to see them progress to the second qualifying round.

Osijek also entered the competition at the same stage, facing Romania's Petrocub Hincesti. They also scraped into the next round, drawing 1-1 away and then securing a 2-1 home victory thanks to a second-half Borna Barisic goal.

Rangers have scored just one goal from open play so far in the competition, with their second strike coming from a James Tavernier penalty in stoppage time against Shkupi. Osijek should provide a more difficult challenge as they head to eastern Croatia for the first leg.

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TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch

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In the United States (US) the game will be not be shown live on television, but it will be available to stream live online via Rangers' in-house TV channel, Rangers TV.

In the United Kingdom (UK), the game can be watched live on TV on Premier Sports and streamed on the Premier Player app.

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Squads & Team News

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Striker Gabrijel Boban has been ruled out of both legs due to an ankle ligament injury, meaning that manager Zoran Zekic will have to plan without last season's club Player of the Year. Eros Grezda is also a long-term absentee up front, meaning Ezekiel Henty could be forced into a No. 9 spot.

Alen Grgic is a doubt, but Zekic is hopeful he will have recovered in time to feature in the first leg.

Potential Osijek XI: Malenica, Sorsa, Loncar, Radeljic, Barisic, Mudrazija, Lepa, Mioc, Skoric, Bockaj, Maric.

New signing Scott Arfield is a doubt, while Lee Wallace, Graham Dorrans and Jordan Rossiter will also sit out the first leg through injury. Gerrard has added Lassana Coulibaly into the European squad, having signed him earlier this month.

Ryan Kent arrived on loan from Gerrard's former club Liverpool, and received late clearance to join the travelling panel. Umar Sadiq has not been included as he looks to build fitness ahead of the new season.

Potential Rangers XI: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Flanagan, Coulibaly, McCrorie, Windass, Murphy, Candeias, Morelos.

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Betting & Match Odds

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Unlike in the last round, Rangers are not favourites to win the game, with dabblebet offering odds of 21/10 on the Scottish side to come out on top. Osijek's chances of winning are rated at 6/5 and a draw is available at 11/5.

Click here to see all of dabblebet's offers for the game, including goalscoring markets, correct score predictions and more.

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Match Preview

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Getty Images

Rangers' task of reaching the third qualifying round is a difficult one, with the odds reflecting the fact that they are underdogs going into the away leg.

Defender Barisic scored the crucial goal as Osijek advanced to the second qualifying round, having been named in Croatia's preliminary squad for the World Cup before being cut from Zlatko Dalic's final panel who went all the way to the final.

Osijek returned to Europe last season after five years watching from the outside, but put in numerous impressive performances, including wins over Swiss side Luzern and 1-0 wins both at home and away against PSV.

They were only knocked out of the Europa League thanks to away goals against Austria Vienna and will be confident of going as far as the play-offs again this season by beating Rangers en route.

Gerrard is looking to lay down a marker ahead of his debut domestic season in the Scottish Premiership, so will be hoping to use the Europa League as a platform to build from before trying to unseat Celtic and Aberdeen at the top table in Scotland.