Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Stewart Wilson

Sparta Prague boss Priske praises Abdallah Sima and Danilo ahead of Rangers clash

Sparta Prague boss Brian Priske has highlighted Abdallah Sima and Danilo as two Rangers players who could be a "handful" for his side.

The two teams drew 0-0 in the Czech Republic last time out and Priske recognises it will be a tough task at Ibrox.

He pointed to Philippe Clement having players returning from injury as one of the reasons it will be a competitive game.

He said: "It is difficult to evaluate improvement from a distance but we looked at it and Rangers have played some good games, especially the game at the weekend was strong.

"They have also got some players back from injury and Danilo will definitely be a handful. I still think that Abdallah Sima is a good players and caused us some issues and some problems.

"So we know it is going to be a tough fight for us, a tough atmosphere, so we will try to prepare the boys as good as we can and focus on some of the things we did well in the first game and also on some of the things we need to improve on in a game like this from a defensive perspective."

Meanwhile, the UEFA rule of teams having to register their squads at the start of the season has been blasted by both Barry Ferguson and Peter Grant.

It comes as Rangers get set to take on Sparta Prague in the Europa League and the former Ibrox captain feels Philippe Clement has been hamstrung by injuries and the selections made by former boss Michael Beale.

Borna Barisic is unavailable for the fixture, and with natural replacement Ridvan Yilmaz not included in the squad, Ferguson and Grant feel Clement is at a disadvantage.

Speaking on Go Radio, Grant said: "It's a joke. You could have 40 player or 50 players, I don't care.

"What are these young boys doing in the B teams? Say one is playing particularly well. 'Aw but we named the squad at the start of the season so you've no chance of playing in Europe son.'

"We'd have never played in Europe if the manager named it at the start of the season. If you're a signed Rangers player, you should be able to pull on the jersey no matter what game it is.

"It's a ridiculous rule. You shouldn't be telling anyone they need to name a European squad at the start of the season. Come on."

Ferguson also voiced his displeasure at the rule, saying:"What if you collect a number of injuries? You've not got enough players to play with.

"It's a crazy rule. If you've got a squad of 25 or 26, you should be allowed to use it. In any game.""

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.