GVB makes big CB call, "firework" axed in 3 changes: Predicted Rangers XI vs Red Star - opinion

Rangers will be hoping for another special European night under the lights at Ibrox as they move away from league action tonight.

The Gers will now be focussing on the Europa League after back-to-back wins in the Scottish top-flight, winning their last two matches 1-0.

Gio van Bronckhorst’s men beat Aberdeen 1-0 in their last outing, with Kemar Roofe scoring the winner off the bench, and now face Red Star Belgrade in Glasgow in the first leg of their knockout clash.

How many changes will van Bronckhorst make to the team? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three alterations to the side against Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade), with Leon Balogun, Aaron Ramsey and John Lundstram coming in.

Starting off at the back, we are predicting van Bronckhorst to make a big call with Balogun returning alongside Connor Goldson due to his form in Europe.

In the Europa League this season, the Nigerian stalwart has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.16 – a score only James Tavernier (7.39) can better for the Gers this term. He has played five games in the competition and has averaged an incredible 5.2 tackles and interceptions along with 2.0 clearances per game.

The ex-Wigan man has also won a whopping 65% of his individual duels, which shows that he has been a strong defender throughout the campaign in Europe so far and is part of the reasoning behind the call to start him. This could then lead to Borna Barisic being axed from the side, with Calvin Bassey moving across to left-back.

In the middle of the park, Lundstram could return in place of Ryan Jack. The ex-Sheffield United man was benched against Aberdeen but his Europa League form suggests that he should be starting tonight.

He has averaged a score