Fashion Sakala vs Joško Gvardiol
While it still remains fairly uncertain who will get the nod to play through the middle for Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side tonight, Sakala has certainly done himself no harm after his last couple of outings. The Zambian played well up top against Motherwell, as he grabbed a couple of assists. He then of course played a pivotal role in the 1-1 draw at Celtic Park most recently, as he netted with a powerful near-post finish. With Rangers needing to play on the front foot in the second leg, putting his pace through the middle appears to be a wise option. Croatia international Gvardiol is a difficult customer though.
Connor Goldson vs Christopher Nkunku
Probably the most predictable match-up of the lot will be Goldson up against Nkunku. The striker bagged a brace in the second leg of Leipzig's quarter-final tie against Atalanta in Italy. So the Frenchman is clearly the main dangerman for the German outfit. Like Sakala, he has pace to burn and often makes smart runs in-behind the back of defenders. Goldson will need to be on top form to keep tabs on Nkunku. He's managed in every round until now, so there's no reason why he can't produce another solid showing.
John Lundstram vs Konrad Laimer
The Gers star dropped into the centre of a back-five for van Bronckhorst's men last week during the first leg of the semi-final tie. While he's carried out this task well both last week and previously in Germany against Borussia Dortmund, there's no doubt he's then missed in the midfield. He should be the first name on the team-sheet alongside James Tavernier on current form. His engine is a crucial attribute to the way the manager wants to play. His guile, power and energy will be needed to combat Laimer and stop him from controlling the game for Leipzig.
