GROUP D lowdown
RANGERS have been handed a tricky but manageable Europa League draw. Here’s what you need to know about their opponents.
BENFICA
Finished second in Portugal’s top flight last season and reacted by spending big money. They brought coach Jorge Jesus back from Flamengo and invested in the likes of Everton, Jan Vertonghen and Luca Waldschmidt.
Despite that they crashed out of the Champions League qualifiers to PAOK, with the subsequent financial hit part of the reason they were forced to sell Ruben Dias to Man City and loan Carlos Vinicius to Spurs.
Benfica have won two European Cups in their history but since their last triumph in 1962 they have lost eight European finals.
Star man: Everton
Previous meetings: None Current form: WWLWW
STANDARD S LIEGE
The 10-time Belgian champions only finished fifth in the Pro League last season however the club have some decent names to call upon.
Winger Maxime Lestienne is a constant danger and Selim Amallah has started the season well.
Standard Liege reached the Cup Winners’ Cup final in 1982 and, despite taking an eight-minute lead at the Nou Camp they were defeated 2-1 by Barcelona. Star man: Obbi Oulare
Previous meetings: The two sides met in the 1962 European Cup quarter-finals with Standard triumphing 4-3 on aggregate. Benfica would win the tournament that year.
Current form: WWWDW
LECH POZNAN
With the current Covid situation we won’t get to see the ‘Jumping Up And Down In A Football Stadium Derby’ in its full glory, as the Poznan faces the Bouncy.
The Poles have won the Ekstraklasa on seven occasions, most recently in 2015, and finished second last term.
They fell to Genk at the third qualifying round last time out, and are back in the group stage for the first time since 2015-16.
Last season’s top scorer Christian Gytkjær was prized away by Silvio Berlusconi’s Monza but Mikael Ishak provides an imposing presence up-front. Skipper Thomas Rogne played for Celtic from 2010 to 2013. Star man: Dani Ramirez
Previous meetings: None Current form: DWWWW