Lowdown on Standard Liege ahead of Rangers clash
Last updated 21st Oct 2020
Rangers begin their Europa League group stage campaign in Belgium on Thursday night as they take on Standard Liege.
It is the third year in a row Steven Gerrard's team have successfully battled through the qualifiers and the Light Blues will be looking to at least match last year's run to the last 16.
Here is the lowdown on the team Gers will face in Wallonia.
Form
Had things turned out differently over the summer, Standard may have found themselves plumbing Belgian football's depths rather than facing up to Gerrard's team. They were forced to go to court to fight off plans to demote them to the fourth tier of their domestic pyramid after being accused of poor financial management'' by the Belgian FA. Former Standard players and Belgium internationals Marouane Fellaini and Axel Witsel came to the rescue as they contributed to a financial bail-out and from that narrow escape, Standard have refused to look back. They sit just a point behind Jupiler Pro League leaders Club Brugge having suffered just one defeat in nine league games and cruised past Bala Town, Vojvodina and Videoton to qualify for the Europa League.
Manager
It is fair to say Philippe Montanier is not remembered too fondly by the supporters of Nottingham Forest. The former Caen and Toulouse goalkeeper lasted just seven months in charge at the City Ground before he was binned in January 2017 with the club languishing three points above the Championship drop zone. But the former Real Sociedad, Rennes and Lens boss has enjoyed better luck with Standard since being appointed in the summer, with his high-pressing style of play producing seven wins and four draws from his 12 games so far.
Players
Record signing Zinho Vanheusden could be set for a return to Inter Milan if he can continue his impressive displays during Standard's European campaign. The 21-year-old joined Standard at the age of just nine but was lured away to Italy in 2015. After failing to make the grade with the Nerazzurri, he rejoined his boyhood club for a 12.5million euro fee last year but the newly-capped Belgium centre-back has recently been linked with another move to the San Siro. Samuel Bastien was the subject of a failed bid from West Ham on transfer deadline day, with Standard rejecting a reported 12 million euro bid after insisting the box-to-box midfielder is worth at least 20 million euros. Morocco international Selim Amallah has started the season impressively with six goals in 10 appearances so far, while 19-year-old midfield colleague Nicolas Raskin is another raw talent who Rangers will need to beware.
European record
Standard's first ever European clash was against Scottish opposition as they claimed a 6-3 European Cup aggregate win over Hearts back in 1958. They edged out Rangers 4-3 over two legs in the quarter-finals three seasons later before being crushed by the all-conquering Real Madrid side of the era in the last four. They did make the final of the Cup Winners' Cup in 1982 but again fell to the Spanish might of Barcelona. Liege missed out on joining Rangers in the last 32 of the Europa League last season when Arsenal hit back from two goals down to claim a draw in their final group game.
Coronavirus
The Belgian side have had coronavirus disruptions ahead of welcoming Steven Gerrard's men. First-team players Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Nicolas Raskin and Moussa Sissako have all tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Thursday's Europa League clash. Goalkeeping coach Jan Van Steenberghe has also recorded a positive test. Two more first-team players, Damjan Pavlovic and Abdoul Tapsoba, have been separated from the group as they live with Moussa Sissako. They're awaiting further test results.