RB Leipzig v Rangers: Giovanni van Bronckhorst forms a Europa League plan to cope with loss of key men

For only the seventh time since they first set foot on the competitive continental stage 66 years ago, Rangers are in the knockout semi-final stage of a European tournament.

The rarity of that opportunity cannot be lost on Giovanni van Bronckhorst and his players, especially in the modern era when the formats of UEFA’s club competitions are significantly weighted against clubs from countries like Scotland getting this far.

Rangers have done it the hard way this season, showing durability, resilience and no little quality to reach the last four of the Europa League where they face RB Leipzig in the first leg in Germany on Thursday night.

This will be Rangers’ 17th European game of the campaign – they are the only one of the semi-finalists who kicked off in the qualifying rounds last August and also the only group stage runners-up to have made it this far.

Van Bronckhorst deserves the lion’s share of the credit. His first match after replacing Steven Gerrard as manager in November was a must-win Group A fixture against Sparta Prague at Ibrox which was duly delivered and subsequently followed up with three admirable aggregate triumphs over Borussia Dortmund, Red Star Belgrade and Braga in the knockout phase which have showcased the Dutchman’s considerable coaching acumen at this level.

He will need all of that and perhaps a little more if Rangers are to overcome Leipzig and claim a place against either West Ham United or Eintracht Frankfurt in the final in Seville on May 18.

How van Bronckhorst mitigates for the injury absence of his two leading strikers, Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe, would seem to hold the key to whether Rangers can defy the bookmakers who rate them a 4-1 chance to qualify and have Leipzig installed as