RANGERS will kick off their UEFA Europa League league phase campaign with a visit to Sweden to face Malmo this evening.
It is the first of eight fixtures in the revamped league phase of the competition, with the Gers also set to do battle with Olympique Lyonnais, Olympiacos, Nice, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, FCSB and Union Saint-Gilloise.
Here’s everything you need to know about our Swedish opponents:
HISTORY
Founded in 1910, Malmo have reigned supreme in the Swedish top-flight on 23 occasions, nine of which have occurred since the turn of the century.
The club are the first and only Scandinavian club to reach the European Cup final, losing out narrowly to Nottingham Forest in 1979.
Malmo are also famed for their youth system, helping nurture Zlatan Ibrahimovic into a burgeoning striking talent alongside notable names such as Patrik Andersson, Emil Forsberg, Robin Olsen and Hugo Larsson.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
These two sides have history in European competition, although Rangers won’t look back too fondly on their recent UEFA Champions League qualifying meetings.
Ally McCoist’s Light Blues were dumped out of the competition by the Swedish side back in 2011, tasting a 1-0 defeat at Ibrox in the first leg before bowing out in a hot-tempered 1-1 return leg draw in Malmo.
A similar fate befell Steven Gerrard exactly ten years later, with the Gers succumbing to an Antonio Colak inspired 4-2 aggregate defeat.
STADIUM
Malmo call the Eleda Stadion their home and have done so since the construction of the stadium in 2009.
The ground’s capacity stands at 22,500 and includes three two-tiered all-seater stands and one standing terrace that is converted to seats for international matches.
CURRENT FORM
Malmo are unbeaten in their previous seven domestic outings, although they have won just four of those.
They currently sit atop the Allsvenskan and have netted a league-high 57 times, keeping four clean sheets on the spin to boot.
Djurgarden currently represents their closest challengers, with the side trailing runaway leaders Malmo by 11 points.
MANAGER
The Swedish side are managed by Henrik Rydstrom, who looks set to add a second successive Allsvenskan league title to the club’s honours list.
The 48-year-old was appointed back in December 2022 and immediately restored Malmo to the summit of Swedish football.
Rydstrom plays an interesting style of football which has attracted glances across the world, drawing inspiration from Brazilian coach Fernando Diniz.
His side last suffered defeat domestically in July, although success at Europe’s top table has proven more elusive following a 4-0 aggregate defeat to Sparta Prague in UEFA Champions League qualifying.
KEY PLAYER
Anders Christansen has made over a century of appearances for Malmo over two spells and is central to his side’s success in midfield.
The Danish international captains the Swedish side and featured against the Light Blues back in 2021.
He has spent the past six years in Malmo but missed a year of action and only returned to competitive football in April due to a heart problem.
Since then, he has hit the ground running and, just last weekend, netted twice in a 4-0 triumph over Hacken.