Champions League
2025-08-05 - Rangers vs Viktoria Plzeň
A Sports Betting Pick by ArmchairPunter
Football : Europe: Champions League 3rd Qual Rnd - 1st leg
Venue: Ibrox
Tuesday 5th August 2025, 1945hrs (GMT)
Rangers return to Ibrox for this 1st leg of their 3rd qualifying round tie against Czech Republic visitors Viktoria Plzeň with the hosts looking to gain the upper hand in Glasgow on Tuesday night.
Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw by a plucky Motherwell outfit on the weekend in the season opener of the Scottish Premiership but The Gers will return to home surroundings for this vitally important European tie.
Russell Martin’s side had previously accounted for Greek side Panathinaikos in the 2nd qualifying round of this season’s Champions League with a 3-1 win on aggregate which was set up with a solid 2-0 home win in the 1st leg before avoiding defeat in a 1-1 draw in Greece last week.
Rangers were knocked out at this stage by Dynamo Kyiv last season but the Scottish club reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League last season before being knocked out by Spanish La Liga outfit, Athletic Bilbao.
Viktoria Plzeň came from behind against Swiss club Servette in the previous qualifying round in this competition after being dealt a 1-0 loss at home in the 1st leg, the Czech Republic side responded in dramatic fashion as they rallied to record a 3-1 win in the return leg at the Stade de Genève.
The Czech Republic outfit will probably need to produce further heroics though at Ibrox on Tuesday night when they come up against Rangers in this upcoming 1st leg tie in Glasgow but an opening 5-1 thrashing of Pardubice in the Czech First League will provide a welcome boost for Miroslav Koubek’s side.
Plzeň reached the round of last 16 in last season’s Europa League before being beaten 3-2 on aggregate by Italian Serie A side Lazio.
The Betting Verdict
Rangers will be eager to post a 1st leg lead here at what is expected to be a noisy and partizan Ibrox.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Rangers 2-1 Viktoria Plzeň
