When Rangers defeated Real Betis in an unexpected victory in Spain to guarantee their seeding in the Europa League last 16, they somewhat stunned the continent.

Kemar Roofe’s late goal, along with goals from Abdallah Sima and Cyriel Dessers, made it an incredible evening for the Light Blues, eliminating Betis from the tournament even though the odds appeared to be in their favor.With the Gers enjoying a fantastic run of results at home and in Europe, Philippe Clement will want to maintain the positive vibes surrounding the team.

The problem is facing some of the strongest hitters in the sport in the knockout round, and that is precisely what may transpire when the draw is made on Friday.

This week’s second-leg matches still need to be played, and since Gers are seeded, teams like West Ham, Liverpool, and Leverkusen are out. For the duration of this round, at least.

The top five choices
SC Freiburg

The German team is now ranked eighth in the Bundesliga and is not playing at its best. Even though they’ve performed throughout Europe to get this far, it hasn’t been their best season. They have been held back by recent home losses to Werder Bremen, Heidenheim, and Stuttgart. They also looked unconvincing in their goalless draw with RC Lens in the first leg of their playoff series.

Toulouse

On paper, there’s definitely an apparent decision between Benfica and the French team. Toulouse, who currently occupy the miserable 13th position in Ligue 1, has only won five of their past 22 games played. Even if they defeat the Portuguese in the second leg, they might not be playing at their best, therefore the draw might be in favor of the Germans.

Prague’s Sparta

The Germans know they can defeat the Czech team, and if they can overcome Galatasaray in spite of a close loss in the first leg, Clement and his team will probably feel secure in the knowledge that they can repeat the feat in the round of sixteen.

Rennes

Even if the French team’s chances of winning are slim, Rangers still have hope that they do! After being thoroughly defeated by AC Milan in the opening round, they will have an uphill struggle to advance to the next round, but if they can upset the odds and win, the Germans will undoubtedly feel more confident over the course of two legs.

Little Boys

Even if they are the leaders of the Swiss League, the leaders of the Premiership can face more formidable competition from the other options. Their recent performance hasn’t exactly been stellar, as they’ve drawn in the league with Lugano and lost to Basel and Sporting. The last time the two teams played, the Gers had taken them out, and they would like to repeat that feat.

The five worst choices
Milan AC

The Italian powerhouses finished third in their Champions League group, which was unfortunate, but they are now very much in the running to win the Europa League. Finishing third in Serie A is a noteworthy achievement as well, and with players like Christian Pulisic, Rafa Leão, and Olivier Giroud on their roster, they should be difficult to defeat even at the Ibrox cauldron.

Roma

Even though they don’t have the Special One in Jose Mourinho anymore, they remain a formidable team. They may have won the first leg despite their 1-1 draw with Feyenoord because they have elite players like Romelu Lukaku and Pablo Dybala who can challenge any defense.

With just one loss in league football, the Portuguese behemoths are in the lead in their division. They also have a strong advantage going into this one because they defeated Toulouse in the first leg. You’d have to assume that among the opponents on the field, the Germans had simpler opponents.

Marseille

Given that the French team is currently ninth in their league, one could initially assume that they would be easy to mark. However, a closer look at their Euro run reveals that they are soaring. finished second in their group, behind Brighton, following a 4-3 victory against the Dutch powerhouses and a 3-3 draw with Ajax. Despite their current state of turmoil following the dismissal of Rino Gattuso, they are still a formidable team because to players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ismaila Sarr, and Iliman Ndiaye.

Qarabag

Even though they’re not the most well-known team in the league right now, their skill is good enough to get them respect. They are also in excellent form and playing with confidence, as they are far and away the best team in their league. They would definitely be a dark horse going back to Azerbaijan because they hold a 4-2 aggregate advantage from their first-leg match against Braga, which was played AWAY from home.

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