GIOVANNI VAN BRONCKHORST made 11 changes to his starting line-up as Rangers eased to victory over Annan Athletic in the Scottish Cup on Saturday.
Now he will welcome back his biggest hitters as the champions aim to earn a positive result against Borussia Dortmund and give themselves a shot at reaching the next round of the Europa League.
Van Bronckhorst will be without defender Leon Balogun for the BvB test but has plenty of key decisions to make in other areas of the field as he prepares to face Marco Rose’s side.
Here, Herald and Times Sport looks at three potentially crucial head-to-head battles as Rangers attempt to raise their game and stun the Bundesliga giants at Signal Iduna Park.
MATS HUMMELS v ALFREDO MORELOS
Morelos so often saves his best for the European stage and he heads into this glamour tie in fine form after netting seven goals in his last eight appearances for Rangers.
The Colombian broke Ally McCoist’s European scoring record against Benfica last term and will have his sights set on another notable continental strike at the Westfalenstadion.
Dortmund boss Rose pinpointed Morelos as one of the key threats for Rangers and the dual with Hummels will certainly be one to watch as the striker goes up against a vastly experienced stopper.
JUDE BELLINGHAM V GLEN KAMARA
In a squad full of star names, Bellingham is quickly becoming one of the most established performers for Dortmund as he continues to go from strength to strength in Germany.
The Englishman may still only be 18 but he plays with a class and composure beyond his years and is one of the players that really makes Rose’s side tick as an attacking force.
The task of limiting his influence is likely to fall to Kamara and the Finnish internationalist will need to be at his best tonight. If Rangers can hold their own in the middle of the park, they might just have a chance of earning a result.
DONYELL MALEN V CONNOR GOLDSON
The absence of Erling Haaland is the headline team news for Dortmund and there is no doubt that his continued injury issues are a significant boost to Rangers ahead of what will be their most difficult challenge as a team.
Malen will continue to lead the forward line in Haaland’s absence. He hasn’t scored since the win over Wolfsburg in November but he got an assist in the 3-0 victory over Union Berlin at the weekend.
The 23-year-old penned a long-term deal at the Westfalenstadion when he completed a move from Ajax last summer and will provide a stern test for Goldson. With Calvin Bassey set to start alongside him, the vice-captain must lead by example this evening.
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