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Glasgow Live
Sport
Adam Miller

What Rangers and Bayer Leverkusen's managers are saying ahead of Europa League clash

Rangers and Bayer Leverkusen's managers have been speaking ahead of their long-awaited Europa League second leg.

The Bundesliga side won 3-1 at Ibrox in the first leg, but that game in March was the final fixture for either side before the shutdown.

Nearly five months later the two sides finally meet again in the BayArena, and Rangers boss Steven Gerrard is prepared to play Alfredo Morelos as his team aim for a memorable European victory.

Bayer Leverkusen manager Peter Bosz, meanwhile, is urging his players not to assume the tie is already won.

Here's what the managers have been saying in the build-up to this evening's match.

STEVEN GERRARD

"I have no issues with using Alfredo. Alfredo's still a Rangers player.

"He's with us over here, he's focused on the game and he'll continue to be a Rangers player until things change and the only way that'll change is if a bid is met that the board and myself are happy with.

"At the moment, that hasn't happened. He's fit, he's available. He wants to play, he's ready to play.

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"It is a game we are looking forward to. Obviously the situation is quite unique having to wait so long to play the second leg.

"We are disappointed with the outcome in-terms of the result from the first leg, so we have a bit of a mountain to climb, but we are over here to give everything we have got and to give it our best shot."

PETER BOSZ

“Anyone who underestimates Rangers gets a problem. If a player says that to me in the team, he has a problem with me.

"We're in a good position, but Rangers has a good team. You played four times to zero in preparation. It won't be an easy game at all.

"We can only win the tournament if we win against Rangers. I also try to convey this to the players that they see it that way."

The Europa League match kicks off at 5.55pm UK time this evening (Thursday August 6).

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