Match report: Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Rangers (Aet 4-1)
Read the match report from the BayArena, where Leverkusen advanced to a last eight showdown against Inter.
Updated
Steven Gerrard speaks: “We’re disappointed with the result,” says the Rangers manager. “I don’t think we found our level or our performance to give it a good go tonight. I think the best side won the game and the best side is going through over the course of the two legs. There’s a lot that we can improve on, a lot that we can work on. We’ve found a level tonight to strive for. Every day going back on the training pitch we need to improve individually and collectively. Hopefully one day we can get to that level. No complaints in terms of the outcome but disappointed with the result.”
Connor Goldson speaks: “It was tough,” says the Rangers defender to BT Sport reporter Emma Dodds. “They’re a good side. Everything that we tried to do against a lot of the other teams in Europe this season, they found it quite easy to play around it. I don’t think we were aggressive enough, it was too easy for them. We had a little bit more of a go in the second half, but still ... I think their quality just showed in the end.”
Full time: Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Rangers (Agg 4-1)
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeeep! Steven Gerrard described this game as “a free swing”, but in truth his side barely gripped the bat. They barely laid a glove on Leverkusen, who run out 1-0 winners on the night and 4-1 winners on aggregate. They’ll face Inter in the last eight in Dusseldorf on Monday. Rangers have a more mundane appointment with St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday. Moussa Diaby scored the only goal of tonight’s game and the Bundesliga side advance.
Updated
90+1 min: A late flurry from Rangers as Jones has a shot blocked on the edge of the Leverkusen penalty area. Moments later, Barisic brings a smart save out of Hradecky.
88 min: Leverkusen win a free-kick a few yards outside the Rangers penalty area, right of centre. Leon Bailey fires high and wide.
87 min: Leverkusen substitution: Stanilewicz on, Palacios off.
83 min: Nifty footwork from Joe Aribo, who turns his man and tries to fire off a shot. Rangers’ superior fitness against a team that hasn’t played a competitive game for over a month is telling here, but they’re going out with a whimper rather than a bang.
Updated
81 min: Greg Stewart finds himself with the goal at his mercy from the edge of the penalty area after a dreadful pass from the Leverkusen goalkeeper. He fires wide.
Updated
76 min: Leverkusen substitution: Sven Bender is replaced by Tottenham Hotspur target Jonathan Tah. Rangers double-substitution: Nathan Patterson and Greg Stewart on for Tavernier and Morelos, who may have played his last game in a Rangers shirt. He won’t have performed as badly in too many of them.
74 min: Rangers are enjoying their best spell of the game, with Hagi looking particularly lively. I fear it’s too little too late, however. They still need to score three goals without reply to force the tie into extra time.
73 min: More good defending from Sinkgraven, who cuts out a cross from James Tavernier at the near post.
70 min: Connor Goldson has a goal-bound header cleared off the line by Daley Singraven. That’s as close to a goal as Rangers have come all night.
Updated
68 min: There’s a pause for drinks, which allows me to catch up on some admin. Ianis Hagi has just been booked for scything through the back of somebody, while Leverkusen have made a triple-substitution: Dragovic, Baumgartlinger and Bailey on for Lars Bender, Moussa Diaby and Wirtz.
Updated
65 min: Rangers double-substitution: Arfield and Jones on for Davis and Kent.
66 min: Hagi plays the ball wide to Hagi, who is immediately dispossessed by Lars Bender. The German international runs into a tight corner and then extricates himself expertly and canters down the field with the ball at his feet.
63 min: Ryan Kent takes on Daley Sinkgraven down the right but the full-back is too good for him once again. Leverkusen clear. Lots of huff and puff from Rangers but they’ve got no cutting edge whatsoever.
Updated
60 min: Rangers substitution: Ianis Hagi on for Brandon Barker, who’s worked hard but not got much change out of Lars Bender, the Leverkusen right-back.
60 min: Goldson stretches to make a crucial interception, cutting out a Sinkgraven pass from deep that was heading into the path of Kevin Volland about eight yards in front of the Rangers goal.
58 min: Havertz pulls the ball towards Kevin Volland in a good position but Connor Goldson intercepts at the front post. Leverkusen are completely bossing this second half, much like they did the first. They just have too much quality for Rangers. There’s a chasm in class between the two sides.
55 min: Borna Barisic sends a cross towards the far post from the left flank, trying to pick out James Tavernier. Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hbadecky leaps to intercept the ball.
54 min: Brilliant from Allan McGregor, who keeps out a low Havertz drive from close range with his feet. The German kicks the air in frustration. He should have scored.
52 min: Rangers still need three goals but only to take the tie to extra time rather than win it. To be honest, it’s difficult to see them getting even one. Bayer Leverkusen look to be heading for a one-legged quarter-final against Inter in Dusseldorf on Monday.
GOAL! Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Rangers (Agg 4-1) (Diaby 51)
Oh dear. Moussa Diaby gets in behind the Rangers defence, chests down a ball over the top from deep and roofs the ball past the helpless Allan McGregor.
Updated
50 min: The referee orders a retake after spotting some argy-bargy in the penalty area. Nothing comes of the set piece.
48 min: Leverkusen corner, which Florian Wirtz sends into the mixer. Rangers fair to clear properly and Connor Goldson eventually heads the ball out for another corner form the other side.
48 min: Now Brandon Barker loses the ball out by the left touchline, Leverkusen central defender Edmund Tapsoba getting the better of him.
47 min: There are no changes in personnel on either side as Morelos loses the ball on the edge of the Leverkusen penalty area. He’s not having one of his better games, his mind perhaps on a mooted move to Lille.
Second half: Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Rangers (Agg 3-10
Rangers get the second half started, needing to score three without conceding to progress to a quarter-final match against Inter. It’s a big ask ...
Half-time: Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Rangers (Agg 3-1)
The ref blows for half-time and the players traipse off. Steven Gerrard will be reasonably content – his players haven’t conceded but it’s impossible to see where the three goals they need to turn this tie around are going to come from. They’ve barely had a sniff in front of goal.
45+1 min: Daley Sinkgraven gets booked for a foul on somebody or other near the intersection of touchline and halfway line.
45 min: Kevin Volland sends a low drive just wide of the right upright from the edge of the Rangers penalty area after cutting inside from the left.
43 min: A Leverkusen counter-attack concludes with Florian Wurtz finding himself with a clear shot on goal after the hosts found themselves with an overload. He pulls the trigger, but Filip Helander throws himself in front of the shot to block it. Excellent defending.
41 min: Rangers win a corner, which James Tavernier takes. His delivery is cleared at the near post.
39 min: Leverkusen corner. The ball’s played into the penalty area, where Charles Aranguiz shakes off his marker and directs a bullet header straight at McGregor. The goalkeeper saves but it wouldn’t have counted anyway. The ref had spotted a foul by Sven Bender as the ball came in toe the area.
38 min: Moussa Diaby volleys over the bar after Havertz picks him out with a pin-point up-and-under into the penalty area from the left flank.
36 min: Florian Wirtz is flagged for offside and Rangers put the heart crossways in fans with another attempt to play the ball out from the back. They’re getting away with it but look far from convincing.
34 min: With over a third of the game gone, Rangers still need to score three goals without reply to win this tie. They’re defending well and have survived one big scare, but Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hbadecky hasn’t had a single save to make yet.
33 min: Moussa Diaby tries a shot from distance and his effort fizzes a couple of yards over Allan McGregor’s crossbar.
32 min: Ryan Kent gallops down the left flank to latch on to a good pass from Borna Barisic but Exequiel Palacios does just enough to dispossess him.
30 min: McGregor kicks it long after a mix-up between Aranguiz and Havertz leads to the former playing the ball into a space unoccupied by the Chelsea target in the Rangers penalty area.
29 min: A wayward pass from Morelos finds it’s way to Moussa Diaby, who drives forward for Leverkusen. Again, Rangers defend stoutly and he runs into a firm wall of resistance.
28 min: Play resumes after a brief interval in which Rangers boss Steven Gerrard had an animated chat with his central defender Connor Goldson.
26 min: Brandon Barker tries to wriggle his way down the right wing but runs out of road and is dispossessed. There’s a pause for drinks.
23 min: ... and the upright. That is a big let-off for Rangers. £75m? I wouldn’t pay £7.50 for him, Chelsea fans!!!
23 min: Chance! Havertz runs on to a ball over the top and finds himself in a one-on-one with Allan McGregor. It’s an easy chance and he slots the ball to the right of the goalkeeper ...
21 min: Daley Sinkgraven gets in behind the Rangers defence but is quickly dispossessed. The Scottish side are defending impressively although their attempts to play the ball out from the back in the face of an energetic Leverkusen press will be giving their supporters palpitations.
19 min: A cross from the left arrows towards the head of Havertz at the near post but Filip Helander is on hand to thump the ball clear for Rangers with a meaty header. Good defending.
Updated
17 min: Ryan Kent beats Tapsoba for pace down the right flank, but his cross into the penalty area is awful. There were three men in white waiting for the delivery!
16 min: Kai Havertz picks up a pass from Lars Bender in the penalty area and fires a first time effort off the cross-bar with his left foot.
15 min: Chilean international Charles Aranguez gets booked for clattering into the back of Alfredo Morelos.
13 min: Rangers are growing into the game and haven’t conceded the early goal that would surely have taken the wind out of their sails. Steven Gerrard will be pleased with what he’s seeing.
12 min: Brandon Barker tries to take on Lars Bender down the left flank but is dispossessed with a meaty challenge.
11 min: Good defending from Tapsoba, who has the legs to beat Morelos on to a through ball in behind from Ryan Kent.
10 min: It’s one off the training ground as FLorian Wirtz drills the ball low and hard into the middle of the penalty area. Sven Bender attempts to back-heel it goalwards but fails to get any power on his effort.
9 min: Corner for Leverkusen after Moussa Diaby’s long-range effort takes a deflection off Tavernier.
8 min: The camera cuts to Steven Gerrard on the sideline, where the Rangers manager looks a picture of concentration as he chews pensively on a fingernail.
6 min: Great play down the left from Borna Borusic, who tries to pick out Alfredo Morelos with a cross. His delivery is perfect, but Morelos tries to bring the ball down instead of volleying goalwards. His first touch is like that of a street-mugger and Edmund Tapsoba clears for Leverkusen.
5 min: Leverkusen skipper Lars Bender tries to stand the ball up in the penalty area for Volland, but it’s cleared. Rangers are still struggling to get any time on the ball.
4 min: In what could be his last game for Rangers, Alfredo Morelos gets his first touch of the evening.
2 min: Rangers are struggling to get a touch of the ball but win a goal kick when James Tavernier shepherds a ball down the left flank towards Moussa Diaby out of play. Allan McGregor does the honours.
1 min: Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hbadecky gets an early touch as the home side play keep-ball in the opening minute.
Bayer Leverkusen v Rangers is go!!!
1 min: The players take a knee and striker Kevin Volland gets the ball rolling for Leverkusen a little later than expected.
Not long now: The teams are out, going through the last of the pre-match formalities in the empty stadium. THe players of Rangers wear white shirts, shorts and socks and will line up in a 4-3-3. Their hosts wear black shirts, shorts and socks. We’ll have a minute’s silence for victims of the global pandemic before kick-off.
Steven Gerrard speaks: “For sure,” he says on BT Sport, upon being asked if this is the strangest European game he’s been part of. “It is strange obviously finishing off a tournament from last season. It’s a game we’re looking forward to. We’ve waited a long time for it, we’re prepared and we’re ready. We’re coming into it in good form and we’re going to try to make amends for the damage that we caused ourselves at Ibrox.”
On his team’s approach tonight: “They’re full of quality in the forward positions but we want to try to change the mentality of the game by scoring early. It’s a game in which we’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. Nobody’s giving us a chance. We’ve prepared hard, it’s a warm night and we’re hoping fitness might play a part later in the game. To get into the latter stages, we’ve got to take the lead and defend perfectly.”
Barker in for Hagi ...
Brandon Barker, who spent four years on the books at Manchester City without making an appearance for the club, starts for Rangers tonight instead of Ianis Hagi, in what looks a surprise move. The 23-year-old winger from Manchester has spent the past four seasons out on loan at Rotherham, NEC Breda, Hibs and Preston. He signed for Rangers a year ago.
Bayer Leverkusen v Rangers line-ups
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky, Lars Bender, Tapsoba, Sven Bender, Sinkgraven, Aranguiz, Palacios, Wirtz, Havertz, Diaby, Volland.
Subs: Ozcan, Tah, Dragovic, Bailey, Alario, Baumgartlinger, Wendell, Stanilewicz
Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Helander, Barisic, Jack, Davis, Aribo, Barker, Kent, Morelos.
Subs: Firth, Edmundson, Hagi, Jones, Stewart, McCrorie, Barjonas, Arfield, Mayo, Patterson.
Referee: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands)
Early team news: Kai Havertz starts for Leverkusen and Alfredo Morelos lines up for Rangers. We’ll have the full line-ups for you very shortly.
And this is now ...
“The situation is quite unique, having to wait so long for the second leg,” said Gerrard in his pre-match press conference. “The first leg wasn’t what we wanted in terms of a result and it has given us a bit of a mountain to climb. But we are over here to give it everything we have got and give it our best shot.”
That was then ...
“I don’t think anyone wants to see the remainder of both competitions behind closed doors – or see teams pull out,” said Steven Gerrard in the immediate aftermath of his side’s first leg defeat. “But I’m not going to sit here after a 3-1 defeat and say the tournament should be cancelled. That’s not the right thing to say. I think all I want to say is the important thing is the people, us, protection from these situations. This virus is continuing to spread and the first thing has to be people’s health. But I’m hoping that football continues. But first things first. Health first.”
The story of the first leg
Let me take you back through the mists of time, to a night in Glasgow when Kai Havertz opened the scoring for Leverkusen from the penalty spot at Ibrox. His side then doubled their lead courtesy of a volley from Charles Aránguiz. Mounting a stirring fight-back, Rangers reduced their arrears thanks to a George Edmundson header but were left with a Ben Nevis-sized mountain to climb when Leon Bailey extended the German side’s lead with a curled effort two minutes from time. Alison McConnell was there for the Guardian ...
Early team news
Where to start with Rangers? Matt Polster and Florian Kamberi both featured in the first leg defeat but are unavailable for selection this time around because they have left the club and now play for New England Revolution and St Gallen respectively.
Summer recruits Jon McLaughlin, Calvin Bassey, Leon Bolugan, Cedric Itten and Kemar Roofe are all ineligible for this competition. Jermain Defoe is recovering from a hamstring injury and may not be risked.
Alfredo Morelos is expected to play for Rangers, despite having his head turned by interest from Ligue 1 side Lille, who have had a £15m bid for the COlumbian turned down. “He’s fit, he’s available,” said Steven Gerrard. “He wants to play, he’s ready to play, so once we pick a team you will see tomorrow whether we decide to play him.”
Despite the intense speculation regarding what seems like an inevitable move elsewhere, Kai Havertz is expected to line up for Leverkusen tonight and the TV audience is likely to be boosted by any number of inquisitive Chelsea fans tuning in to run the rule over a player who seems destined for a £75m move to Stamford Bridge. Midfielder Kerim Demirbay will not feature tonight as he sits this one out on the Naughty Step.
Europa League R16 second leg: Leverkusen v Rangers (agg: 3-1)
Just the 147 days after Rangers and Bayer Leverkusen contested the final game of football played in Scotland before lockdown, the sides reconvene at the BayArena for the second leg of this Round of 16 tie. Rangers have a big job on their hands to overturn a 3-1 deficit and book a place in the quarter-finals against Inter.
They find themselves in an odd position – playing in the present and the past as the new Scottish Premiership season has just begun while they cling on in last season’s Europa League. After tonight’s game they go back to the future for Sunday’s showdown against St Mirren at Ibrox. Whether they do so as Europa League quarter-finalists remains to be seen but we’ll find out soon enough. Kick-off is at 5.55pm (BST), but stay tuned for early team news and build-up.
Updated
