Rangers vs FK Jablonec

Rangers host FK Jablonec in the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off round on 20 August 2026, with the Scottish side still chasing a first win under new manager Derek McInnes. A Europa League exit at the hands of Jagiellonia Białystok has dropped the Light Blues into UEFA’s third-tier competition, and the pressure is already mounting.

Team News and Injury Latest

Rangers are dealing with a deepening injury crisis. Striker Youssef Chermiti is facing a long spell out after suffering an ACL injury in the defeat to Hibernian, while left-back Tuur Rommens has been sidelined with a groin strain. Defender Ben Godfrey remains unavailable with a hamstring issue. The absences forced McInnes to field an experimental 3‑5‑2 system against Jagiellonia, a gamble that left the side exposed as they eventually bowed out. For Jablonec, no fresh injury concerns have been reported, and they are expected to name a settled lineup after navigating two qualifying rounds.

Rangers Form Guide

McInnes’s tenure has begun with a four-match winless streak. A 2‑1 loss to Jagiellonia in Poland was followed by a 1‑1 draw at home that sealed a 3‑2 aggregate defeat and Europa League elimination. Domestically, a 1‑1 draw at Dundee and a 2‑1 home reverse against Hibernian have left the side searching for rhythm. “It is not great to watch,” McInnes admitted after the Jagiellonia second leg. “We huffed and puffed and even when we threw [Emmanuel] Fernandez up, we still don’t make the right decisions.”

Jablonec’s Route to the Play-Off

The Czech side arrive with momentum from their own qualifying campaign. Jablonec dispatched RFS of Latvia 2‑0 at home before a 2‑1 away victory sealed that tie convincingly. In the previous round they edged past Varaždin, losing 3‑2 in the away leg but progressing 4‑3 on aggregate. Their defensive solidity—two clean sheets in those ties—will be tested against a Rangers attack that has struggled to find fluency without Chermiti.

Key Battle: Rangers’ Depleted Attack vs Jablonec’s Defence

Without their first-choice striker, Rangers must find a way to break down a Jablonec backline that kept consecutive clean sheets against RFS. The pressure will fall on wide creators and whoever leads the line to provide a cutting edge. McInnes’s use of Emmanuel Fernandez as an emergency forward in the dying stages of the Jagiellonia tie underlined the lack of options, and similar desperation cannot afford to creep into a two-legged play-off.

What McInnes Said

“The club is built for the Champions League and Europa League, but I don’t think the team is ready for it and it pains me to say it,” McInnes said after the Europa League exit. “We need to get more quality, we need to get more confidence into the team. That is the job I came into Rangers to do. We have to get things moving in the right way quickly.”

The Ibrox side must get their European campaign back on track quickly. A Premier Sports Cup last-16 tie against St Mirren follows just days later, and another failure to win would only deepen the discontent in the blue half of Glasgow.