Glasgow Rangers: Fans rejoice at latest setback to Bayer Leverkusen squad for Europa League clash

Plenty of Glasgow Rangers fans are feeling increasingly optimistic about their team’s chances against Bayer Leverkusen in tomorrow’s Europa League round of 16 clash after the German club suffered a further setback to their squad.

Scottish broadcaster Derek Rae, who often commentates on Bundesliga games, confirmed on Twitter (via @RaeComm) that Peter Bosz will be without five first team players for the second leg at the BayArena, into which his team brings a 3-1 lead from Ibrox.

1 more Bayer Leverkusen absentee for tomorrow’s Europa League meeting with Rangers. Karim Bellarabi is out with a muscular injury, joining Paulinho (cruciate), Nadiem Amiri (withdrawn as precaution due to COVID contact), Kerem Demirbay & Mitchell Weiser (both suspended.) #B04RFC

— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) August 5, 2020

Karim Bellarabi has been ruled out with a muscle injury, joining cruciate ligament victim Paulinho in the treatment room, while Nadiem Amiri has been withdrawn from the squad as a precaution owing to the global pandemic. Bayer Leverkusen had already been shorn of Kerem Demirbay and Mitchell Weiser through suspension.

The absences of Demirbay, Bellarabi and Paulinho deprive the Bundesliga side of a trio who have scored 11 goals between them in the 2019/20 season. Meanwhile, speculation continues over the future of Kai Havertz, who has been strongly linked with a possible £90m move to Chelsea.

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Despite needing to overturn a two-goal deficit in Germany, these ‘Gers fans are giving their team every chance of doing so given the latest setback to Bayer Leverkusen’s squad ahead of the match: