FK Jablonec welcome Rangers to their home ground needing to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit, but both sides are heavily rotated with five and six regular starters missing respectively. Jablonec's perfect home record in this competition—two wins without conceding—will be tested b…
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Sign inFK Jablonec host Rangers in the second leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off on 27 August at their Stadion Střelnice home, with a group-stage place at stake after the first leg at Ibrox. The compact 6,280-capacity ground in Jablonec nad Nisou will provide a raucous backdrop as the Czech side look to overhaul any deficit.
Rangers manager Derek McInnes is without defensive duo Tuur Rommens (muscle) and Youssef Chermiti (ACL), while centre-back Ben Godfrey has been included in the European squad despite a hamstring issue that may not clear in time. Midfielder Nico Raskin is managing an ankle injury and required an injection following the 5-1 League Cup win over St Mirren; Dan Neil is set to start in his place. Full-back James Penrice, who scored and assisted on his debut in that victory, is available and expected to keep his place, while Kosta Nedeljkovic offers another fresh option. Ross McCausland, widely tipped to leave, has been registered as one of four forwards alongside Lawrence Shankland.
Jablonec head coach Lubos Kozel could name an unchanged XI after a 2-1 win against RFS in the previous round. Only Nassim Innocenti and Kevin Prince-Milla are reported absent, leaving the Czechs with few selection concerns.
Jablonec enter the tie on a six-match winning run across all competitions. They eliminated RFS 4-1 on aggregate in the last Conference League qualifying round and have scored five goals in their opening three Czech First League fixtures, underlining their attacking threat.
Rangers responded to their Europa League elimination by Jagiellonia Bialystok with a dominant 5-1 victory over St Mirren in the Premier Sports Cup. That was the first win under McInnes, with wide players Djeidi Gassama, Daisuke Yokota and others heavily involved in the goals. Defensive vulnerability remains a concern, however — the Gers have conceded in every competitive match this season.
Penrice’s instant impact at left-back — a goal and an assist on his debut — gives Rangers a dynamic outlet down that side. Jablonec operate with a 3-5-2, meaning wing-back Martin Cedidla (or his replacement) will be directly exposed to Penrice’s overlapping runs. If Penrice can replicate his attacking output, the tie could swing decisively toward the Scottish side.
Failing to qualify would leave Rangers without European group-stage football for the first time since the Conference League’s inception — a scenario McInnes described as “immediate concern.” For Jablonec, reaching the groups would cap an impressive qualification campaign and deliver a significant financial boost. The away-goals rule is no longer in effect, so any aggregate draw goes to extra time.
After this second leg, Rangers return to domestic action with a Premiership fixture, while Jablonec will continue their league schedule. The group-stage draw awaits the winner, making 90 minutes in Jablonec the defining moment of both clubs’ European summers.
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