Will Bruges keep their home form going?
Glasgow Rangers have played nine competitive games under their new coach Russell Martin so far. They have only managed three wins, one of which was in the cup against a lower-league opponent. In the league, the Scottish giants are still completely winless after three matchdays. All three games ended in draws.
The actual target of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League is also a long way off. The reason for this is the clear 1-3 defeat in the first leg, which the “Gers” suffered in front of their home crowd at Ibrox. In Wednesday evening’s second leg, at least one bet on an away win with a two-goal difference between Bruges and Glasgow Rangers must come true in order to force extra time.
However, the best betting providers consider such a scenario to be completely unrealistic. The Interwetten app, for example, is offering odds of 13.00 that the prediction of the Scots advancing will pay off in the Bruges vs. Glasgow Rangers match.
The fact that the visitors have to play for victory without worrying too much about the consequences could, of course, play into the hands of the Belgian hosts. After all, the reigning Jupiler League runners-up are in the comfortable position of being able to counterattack in their own stadium. There should be no lack of confidence either, especially as head coach Nicky Hayen’s team has won its last five competitive games in a row and has not shown any weakness at home this season.
It should also be noted that the unique playing style of Russell Martin, who was previously under contract with Southampton FC, initially led the Saints back from the Championship to the Premier League, but then failed spectacularly with his risky approach, requires a certain degree of conviction, self-confidence, and momentum. However, I would not necessarily attribute all three of these attributes to the Blue, White and Reds at the moment.
This makes the odds for a home win between Bruges and Glasgow Rangers all the more attractive. A handicap win with a difference of two or more goals would even bring a peak of 2.63 at Merkur Bets.
Bruges – Glasgow Rangers Head-to-head comparison / H2H record
If Rangers once again fail to qualify for the Champions League, they will primarily blame it on their sluggish start to the first leg. After seven minutes, Bruges was already leading 2-0 at Ibrox, and in the 20th minute, the Belgian runners-up even made it 3-0. Danilo’s goal shortly after the break to make it 3-1 from the Scottish perspective at least made the result look a little better and gave some hope for the second leg. The clubs will then face each other for the fifth time in history. Each club has one win and two draws. Logically, this would only suit the home side on Wednesday evening.
Bruges – Glasgow Rangers Tip
Club Brugge has all the cards in its hand ahead of the second leg of the Champions League playoffs. After the 3-1 win in Glasgow, hardly anyone expects the Belgian runners-up to let the proverbial butter be taken off their bread in their own stadium. In fact, there are hardly any arguments that point to a surprise coup by the “Gers.” Their record of three wins from nine competitive games this season is too weak. Defensively, Martin’s team looks far too vulnerable and concedes goals too easily.
On the other side, they face a strong opponent who has won seven of eight competitive matches in the early stages of the season, winning five in a row and scoring at least twice at home in each game. In terms of quality, Hayen’s team is considered stronger. Added to this is the fact that the Blue and Blacks reached the round of 16 in the Champions League last season and have often been impressive, especially in their own stadium. I therefore recommend betting on a home win ahead of the second leg between Bruges and Glasgow Rangers.
