There are reports of around 7,000 Rangers fans in Leipzig tonight, not all of them with tickets, but most of them will be sampling the local beer.

RB Leipzig boss Domenico Tedesco joked he would sleep at the club’s academy to escape the visiting hordes at his city centre hotel.

Kevin Thomson did play in those 2008 semis against Fiorentina and the former Rangers midfielder told BBC Scotland this morning that those games provide "memories that last forever".

The Kelty Hearts boss added: "I'm sure this current group of players believe they deserve to be there. The teams they have beaten along the way is testament to the squad's quality."

Thomson thinks manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst deserves "massive credit", saying: "He'll need to be at his best tactically and make sure he gets every last ounce out his players for these next two games."

Image source, SNS

Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor missed the journey to the 2008 Uefa Cup final through injury and the 40-year-old is lapping up the chance to make up for that frustration.

"Three and a half years ago, I don’t think anybody thought we would qualify for the groups,” he said yesterday. “And then each year we have progressed.

"I don’t know how we are going to progress next year, right enough. But it has been an unbelievable achievement from all the boys and staff.

“It has been a good run. Whether it is the best or most consistent run... It probably is.

"I don’t look back at history on that. It has definitely got to be up there."

Image source, SNS

Richard Foster
Former Rangers defender on BBC Sportsound

Rangers' big moment of European glory came back in 1972 when they beat Dynamo Moscow 3-2 in Barcelona to win the Cup Winners' Cup.

They were runners up in the same tournament in 1961 and 1967.

The last time Rangers got this far in Europe was 2008 when they beat Fiorentina on penalties to reach the Uefa Cup final, where they lost 2-0 to Zenit St Petersburg in Manchester.

Image source, SNS

Steven Thompson
Former Rangers striker on BBC Sportsound

Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst was also talking to the media on Wednesday, saying: "Of course playing in a European semi-final is exciting but we have to overcome a tough team. We have watched Leipzig play a lot of games and are well prepared.

"We want to attack and create chances, we have to do the right thing at the right moments. We will have moments when we need to defend but we will be looking for dangerous chances to score. It’s a semi-final of the Europa League so the standard is high."

Talking yesterday, RB Leipzig head coach Domenico Tedesco said: "Rangers knocked Dortmund out of the Europa League and that says a lot. We know about their strengths; they're a physically strong side who can beat any opponent if you allow them to play their way.

"Rangers are also strong on the wings and have players with good individual quality in that position. They put a lot of crosses into the box and get a good amount of players into the area."

RB Leipzig are spoilt for choice in attack though and have some serious firepower, with star man Christopher Nkunku joined by Spain winger Dani Olmo and Hungary's Dominik Szoboszlai.

Portuguese striker Andre Silva, with 18 goals this season, is among the back-up, along with Denmark's Yussuf Poulsen and Sweden's Emil Forsberg, who both have more than 65 international caps.

While Rangers are depleted up front, the home side have issues at the back, with defenders Willi Orban and Mohamed Simakan suspended.

Slovenia midfielder Kevin Kampl is also serving a ban, while highly-rated Mali international Amadou Haidara misses out with a knee injury.

So, Scott Wright leads the Rangers attack in the absence of injured duo Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe. Or will he play wide, with Joe Aribo taking on a central role?

Aaron Ramsey is also ruled out, which is really stretching the Ibrox squad at the business end of the season.

Wright, who was on target at the weekend and played a big part in the opening goal, has scored five goals in 30 appearances this season.

Image source, SNS

Ryan Kent, Joe Aribo, John Lundstram, Ryan Jack and Calvin Bassey all return after getting a rest in Saturday's 3-1 win at Motherwell.

Scott Wright is the man picked to join Kent and Aribo up top as Steven Davis, Amad Diallo, Scott Arfield, Fashion Sakala and Leon Balogun drop to the bench this evening.

RB Leipzig: Gulasci, Klostermann, Halstenburg, Gvardiol, Angelino, Laimer, Adams, Henrichs, Szoboszlai, Nkunku, Olmo

Substitutes: Martinez, Tschauner, Poulsen, Forsberg, Silva, Mukiele, Raebiger, Novoa, Lelle.

Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Bassey, Barisic, Jack, Lundstram, Kamara, Aribo, Kent, Wright.

Substitutes: McLaughlin, McCrorie, Davis, Diallo, Sands, Balogun, Arfield, King, Lowry, McKinnon, Devine, Sakala.

Leipzig’s only previous encounter with Scottish opposition came in the group stage of the 2018-19 Europa League when they beat Celtic 2-0 at home and lost 2-1 in Glasgow.

This will be Rangers' 50th meeting with a German side in Europe and they have a record of 17 wins, 15 draws and 17 losses.

Rangers begin a pivotal week in Germany, playing the first leg of their Europa League semi-final against the wealthy arrivistes of RB Leipzig.

Having reached the last 16 of the competition in the previous two seasons under Steven Gerrard, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side are two games away from reaching the final for the first time since 2008.

The men from Ibrox are in the midst of a punishing schedule and are missing key players but have saved their best for Europe this term.

On Sunday, they face an all-or-nothing mission at Celtic Park. However, the big derby game is well and truly on the backburner for now.

Buckle in and let's get cracking with the team news and build up.

Image source, Getty Images