Olympiakos v Rangers Europa League Tips: El Kaabi to lead 12/1 Bet Builder | OneFootball

UEFA Europa League

Rangers boss Philippe Clement faces a tough evening

Rangers have been hard to predict in the Europa League so Dave Tindall is looking at goalscorers in Thursday's game at Olympiakos...

Olympiakos v RangersThursday 07 November, 17:45Live on Discovery+ & TNT Sports 3

Olympiakos strong at home and have pedigree

There are 10 games gone in the Greek Super League and Olympiakos sit fourth, three points behind leaders Aris Salonika.

That seems a little so so but they've certainly got some momentum in this tournament after responding to a 2-0 away defeat in Lyon with a 3-0 home win over Braga and a 1-0 success in Malmo.

In terms of results it's pretty easy to break them down. Olympiakos aren't great on the road but are strong at home. In six games (five in the Greek League and one in Europe) on their own patch, they've won four and drawn two.

In the last week they've scored a 1-0 Greek Cup win away to Athens Kallithea (currently bottom of the top-flight table) and scored a 2-1 home success against Panserraikos (10th out of 14 in the Greek Super League).

And, of course, this is the team that took glory in Europe last season after powering past Aston Villa 6-2 on aggregate in the last four of the Conference League before edging out Fiorentina 1-0 in the final.

Rangers mixing good and bad

What do we make of Rangers? Chat to fans outside Ibrox and there will be plenty of choice words to be said about Philippe Clement and his side, who are already nine points behind Celtic and Aberdeen in the SPL.

And yet in Europe they've had a couple of good results in their three Europa League matches so far. Rangers are 11th in the 36-team table and have Porto, Real Sociedad, Roma and Manchester United beneath them.

Their two good nights in Europe were a 2-0 away win in Malmo and a 4-0 home victory over FC SB. But sandwiched between those two victories was a pretty humbling 4-1 reverse against Lyon at Ibrox.

In other words, the messages are mixed. Sometimes Rangers look like a terribly limited side but they also send out signals that they have the ability to raise their game in Europe. Perhaps not to the levels of the team that made the final of this competition in 2022 but there's something there that Europe brings out.

Gers better on the road in Europe

While Olympiakos have gone unbeaten at home, Rangers have been miserable on the road in the SPL so far. They've played five away games, losing three and winning just once.

On that evidence, it's easy to understood the outright odds: Olympiakos at 17/20, Rangers at 3/1 and The Draw at 13/5.

But Clement can at least point to better fortunes in cup competitions. In their Champions League qualifer (which they lost over two legs) Rangers drew 1-1 away against Dynamo Kyiv in a game played in Poland while, in this tournament, they beat Malmo 2-0 in Sweden. They head into this one on the back of a 2-1 away win at Motherwell in the Scottish League Cup.

Rangers riddle

I'll have to admit that Rangers have led me a merry dance in this year's Europa League.

I didn't think they'd have enough to get three points in Malmo: they won.

I thought they could take something at home to Lyon: they were hammered.

I believed they were vulnerable at home to FC SB: they romped to a 4-0 win.

I'm leaning towards a home win but I'll skip the outright market and look to goalscorers.

El Kaabai can strike again

Ayoub El Kaabi is at the front of the goalscorer markets and deservedy so.

The Moroccan scored five times across the two semi-final matches with Aston Villa in the European Conference League last season, ending that campaign with 38 goals in 58 appearances for club and country.

The striker is in the goals again this term and has nine in 13 including five in his last four home games. That includes a European brace against Braga.

I'll combine him with another goalscorer bet and add in Rangers' Nedim Bajrami.

The Albanian netted the opener in the 2-0 win in Malmo and he's added further goals in his last two games - away at Aberdeen and Motherwell.

With three goals in his last four road games, he's worth a look at 9/2 anytime.

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