Malmo vs Rangers predictions: Gers may find Swedes stubborn opponents | OneFootball

Rangers kick off their Europa League campaign on Thursday with a tricky trip to Sweden to take on Malmo, a team the Scots have had issues with in the past (5:45pm, TNT Sports 2 and Discovery+ app).

It’s been a far from ideal start to the campaign for Philippe Clement’s side, who were dumped out of Champions League qualifying by Dynamo Kyiv and are already five points behind the SPL leaders Celtic and second-place Aberdeen, losing the first Old Firm game of the season 3-0.

They did at least beat Dundee at the weekend to reach the Scottish League Cup semi-finals and are 7/4 with betting sites to claim the first piece of domestic silverware on offer.

Malmo, on the other hand, are already 11 points clear at the top of the Allsvenskan after 24 games - it is important to highlight that their season runs from March to November so most of their Europa League fixtures take place in their off-season.

They started the season with 13 wins from their first 17 games, losing only to Elfsborg and Mjallby but they have won just two of their last five in all competitions, which includes a 4-0 aggregate defeat to Sparta Prague in the Champions League play-off.

Rangers and Malmo have met four times before, all in Champions League qualifying matches and the Swedish side are unbeaten, winning three and drawing one.

The last meeting came in August 2021 when Rangers were on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline both home and away to once again lose out on a place in the Champions League.

The stats don’t bode well for Rangers, who have failed to win any of their six games against Swedish opposition in European competition. Their two draws and four defeats make it the most times they’ve faced sides from a specific nation without winning.

They have also lost four of their last seven Uefa Europa League away games (W1 D2), just one fewer than they suffered across their prior 19 matches in the competition (5).

Football betting sites are leaning towards a home win with Malmo a best-price of 7/5. However, it’s tough to back the Swedes with any confidence given they have lost nine of their last 12 games in all European competitions.

They have managed just two wins and one draw in a run which has seen the Swedish side fail to score on six occasions.

With the new format of the Uefa competitions guaranteeing sides at least eight games this one could be a cagey affair and with Rangers’ poor away form and Malmo struggling in Europe we’re going for a draw.

Goals haven’t been a problem for the Gers so far, netting 15 across their nine games and with seven different names on the scoresheet.

Cyriel Dessers already has seven, scoring in the SPL, the League Cup and the Champions League play-off and he’d love one in the Europa League as well. You can find at 5/1 to score first on Thursday, or at 21/10 to net any time on select betting apps.

A better value bet might be James Tavernier, who is just one goal away from equalling the European tally of Ally McCoist in Rangers colours.

He has scored 11 goals across major European competition for Rangers, with only Alfredo Morelos (15), Ralph Brand (13) and McCoist (12) managing more for the Scottish side.

Despite his set-piece ability and being Gers’ nominal penalty taker, he’s available at 21/4 to find his mark in Malmo.

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