ZeeboiRangers will face Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League quarter-final first leg without two vital players, Mohamed Diomande and John Souttar.
Manager Barry Ferguson must rejig his lineup for Thursday’s showdown at Ibrox, as both players are sidelined by suspensions picked up in last month’s round of 16 second-leg clash with Fenerbahce.
Under UEFA regulations, a player faces a one-match ban in the competition after accumulating three yellow cards.
In the Europa League, cautions only reset after the quarter-finals, meaning just three bookings across the league phase and knockout stages trigger a suspension.
Souttar earned his third yellow of the campaign for tugging back Anderson Talisca, adding to earlier cautions from the Fenerbahce first leg and a home match against Lyon in the second league phase.
Diomande, meanwhile, is no stranger to Europa League bans, having already sat out January’s league phase game against Manchester United after three bookings.
His earlier cautions came against Malmo, Nice, and Tottenham.
Per UEFA rules, suspensions kick in after three yellow cards and “after any subsequent odd-numbered caution (fifth, seventh, ninth, etc.)”.
Diomande’s latest bookings against Union Saint-Gilloise and Fenerbahce have now ruled him out for the Athletic Bilbao encounter.
Rangers Europa League squad
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Liam Kelly, Lewis Budinauckas.
Defenders: James Tavernier, Rıdvan Yılmaz, Robin Pröpper, John Souttar, Dujon Sterling, Jefté, Leon Balogun, Clinton Nsiala.
Midfielders: Connor Barron, Mohamed Diomande, Nedim Bajrami, Nicolas Raskin, Ianis Hagi.
Forwards: Cyriel Dessers, Tom Lawrence, Vaclav Cerny, Hamza Igamane, Danilo.
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