Brugge take on the visitors Rangers in the second leg of UEFA Champions League Qualification final round. First leg result: 3-1. The match will be played on Wednesday, August 27th at Jan Breydel Stadion (Brugge).
Club Brugge will try to deliver a successful season. The “Blue-and-Blacks” have recently been a consistent contender for domestic titles. Last season, unlike the years before, Royal Union managed to grab first place. Club Brugge took revenge right away, winning the Super Cup last month. But, as usual, Nicky Hayen still does not know which exact squad will carry them through this football year. De Cuyper, Talbi, and Jashari may not be the only departures, while the numerous new arrivals still need to prove themselves. Points have already been dropped in the Jupiler Pro League. However, in the Champions League qualifiers, the Belgians managed to beat their first strong opponent, Red Bull Salzburg, twice — 1-0 away and 3-2 at home. Brugge have shown resilience under pressure and are gaining momentum at the right time. Their attacking trio looks sharp, and confidence is growing with each European fixture.
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Rangers have not been able to repeat what Gerrard once achieved. Only Steven managed to take them to the Premiership crown — all of his successors, including Clement who was dismissed six months ago, were stuck behind Celtic in the frustrating second place. Even Russell Martin started with draws, hardly creating optimism. However, in the Champions League qualifiers they confidently knocked out both Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen. The pattern was identical: a solid home win without conceding, after which they could play smartly away — securing a draw with the Greeks and even tolerating a narrow loss against the Czechs. This time they started at home and were already trailing 0-3 by the middle of the first half. The only thing they managed was a consolation goal — but that looked more like a goal of pride. Rangers’ defensive lapses have been a major concern, and their inability to handle early pressure cost them dearly. Despite flashes of attacking quality, the team still struggles to maintain consistency across 90 minutes.
The only official meeting was in the European Cup back in 1993. The Scots narrowly won at home after a draw in Belgium. The clubs met again only this summer, in a friendly, which ended 2-2. It is unlikely the Scots will suddenly show anything special here. Having won away, the Belgians are expected to repeat that at home.
Prediction for the match: Brugge to win.
