Rangers embark on their journey in the group stage of the Champions League, after a dramatic qualification period, where they once again showed a spirit that we often see from them in Europe, but something lacking from their Old Firm clash with Celtic.
In Europe, Rangers can mix it with decent sides, and should not be underestimated. Getting three points here is not going to be easy, and more than likely a step too far, but there is hope that they can take something home with them, especially as the team will be desperate to bounce back from humiliation in the Old Firm game.
Rangers and Ajax to Draw - 4/1 with bet365
First up, I fancy Rangers to nick a point here. A tough game, one where they are going to have to defend exceptionally well, but one that they can take something from.
Their 4-0 defeat at Celtic on Saturday is still raw for fans, and they will be expecting a response from the team, one to show they have fight and determination in them. Key here though is that this game is away, they won’t have the Ibrox crowd on them, which should take away a little bit of the pressure that comes after an Old Firm defeat.
Ajax are in impressive form, they’ve won all five league games so far, scoring 16 goals and conceding just three.
That will make this tough, but I’m sticking with Rangers to get something, they have to come out and play here, so it’s a draw for me as my first bet on the game.
Rangers 1-1 Ajax Correct Score - 17/2 with bet365
As much as I think Rangers can take a draw here, I’m not expecting them to sit back and play for a 0-0 in any way. It’s not their style, and to be honest, they aren’t good enough to do it away in Europe against a side like Ajax.
With that in mind, I think we’ll see a score draw here, and the one I’ve gone for is a 1-1 draw, which is available at a fair price of 17/2.
Playing on the counter attack, and getting bodies forward when possible, I think Rangers can score here. Defensively, they’ve weaknesses, which were exposed on Saturday by Celtic, enough for me to think Ajax can bag one.
Let’s hope the scoring stops at 1-1, so if you’re looking for something at bigger odds, a 1-1 draw is my pick.