Rangers have never beaten a Swedish side in Europe in six attempts, four of which came against Malmo, and with their woeful away form an issue, this could be a more difficult fixture than it initially appears. Malmo are running away with the title in Sweden and can start to focus on European matters throughout the autumn, and this is a good opportunity for them to get off the mark against pot-one opposition.
Malmo have added further fuel to the fire by posting a light-hearted video on social media “welcoming” the Ibrox club to a city where they drew in 2011 and lost in 2021 en-route to being knocked out of the Champions League. The video referenced how key losing the 2011 tie had proved in Rangers’ financial tailspin and eventual liquidation, which led to them having to start out again in the fourth tier of Scottish football.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement is under no illusions about the size of the challenge his team faces: "It's about going full on in this game against a very good opponent who play good offensive football, who are top of the league, and have a lot of experience in Europe." The Ibrox side are in Sweden for their first match of the revamped Europa League, having lost twice to Malmo in Champions League qualifiers in the past 13 years. In 2021 the Swedish champions prevailed 4-2 on aggregate against Steven Gerrard's side, and Rangers have never beaten a team from Sweden in six attempts.
Malmo manager Henrik Rydstrom is clearly relishing the prospect of facing Rangers again: "We have seen them playing a little bit in Europe, but also in their own league. We know they are strong in their own league. I’m not sitting here and saying that we are better and they are worse. We have respect for the opponent, but we also have big belief in ourselves." Malmo manager Henrik Rydstrom has doubled down on the Swedish club poking fun at Rangers by claiming that a social media clip based on their two previous meetings served as a reminder of what will “probably happen again” in Thursday’s Europa League opener.
A Fight with History
Rangers manager Philippe Clement is aware of the history between the two clubs, but he's not dwelling on the past: "I saw the stats the last couple of years against Malmo, which is not really good, so we have a fight with history. The team is very motivated to show a good face and grow again, like they have been growing the last couple of weeks. But I don't believe in that also - it's something new now. It's not the same players, manager, or opponents."
Wins against Dundee United in the Premiership and Dundee in the League Cup followed the disappointment of defeat by Celtic this month. A return to Ibrox for the quarter-final triumph over Dundee also boosted morale for Rangers, who are aiming to reach the knockout stages of the Europa League for the fifth time in six seasons.
Clement's side also face Manchester United, Tottenham, Nice, Lyon, Olympiakos, Union Saint-Gilloise, and FCSB of Romania in the tournament. "With the draw we didn't get any presents," the Rangers boss added. "That's clear if you compare with other groups. So we have a really, really tough group to qualify out of."
After a former Belgium international suggested Clement should be in contention for the Anderlecht job in his homeland, the Rangers boss also strongly reiterated he would not be leaving Ibrox having just signed a deal to 2028.
Malmo's Confidence
Rydstrom's confidence is not unfounded. Malmo are currently nine points clear at the top of the Allsvenskan after 24 games, with their attacking style of play proving to be very effective. "We want to be close to each other. We want to get the players to feel the joy. It’s not just a case of giving the ball to Anders and he solves it. It’s really strict in some other parts. But not from a positional point of view. And I think that also makes it a little bit unpredictable for the opponent." Rydstrom's style has been categorized as "relationism" by Scottish coach and writer Jamie Hamilton, who has regular conversations with the Malmo manager. It is essentially an attacking style that does not have fixed positions, and might most usefully be understood as the polar opposite of the “positional” credo of the Pep Guardiola school.
Key Players
Rangers will be without attacking pair Danilo and Rabbi Matondo through injury here, while Turkish full-back Ridvan Yilmaz is also nursing a thigh problem at present. The man in form is Cyriel Dessers, as the Nigerian has scored seven in nine games so far this season, and he can expect to be provided chances by Nedim Bajrami, after the Albanian made his full debut at the weekend following his move from Sassuolo.
Malmo will be without winger Sead Haksabanovic, who joined the Swedish champions from Celtic this summer, but is currently sidelined with a groin injury. Experienced duo Niklas Moisander and Oscar Lewicki are also both currently on the sidelines, as they continue to recover from knee surgery. Rydstrom has swapped his goalkeepers around of late, but it has had no detrimental effect, as they have kept four clean sheets in four matches despite Johan Dahlin and Ricardo Friedrich both playing two games each.
A Clash of Styles
Rangers have made an underwhelming start to the season, which they hope to rectify with a good showing on the continent. They have a new manager in Philippe Clement, and they're still trying to find their feet. Clement's side prepared for this encounter with a 3-0 win over Dundee in the cup over the weekend, but it was the fixture the week previous which was important, as it saw them earn a much-needed away win, beating Dundee United 1-0, ending a run of six without victory on the road, as Rangers have won just three away matches in seven months.
Malmo, on the other hand, are in fantastic form. They are cruising to the title in Sweden, and they have not conceded a goal in four league games since losing to Sparta Prague at the end of August. What is more impressive is those four games have all come against teams with European potential, including 4-0 wins over Djurgardens and Hacken, and goalless draws away to GAIS and AIK.
The Importance of the Game
Both clubs have undergone considerable change since 2021, but Anders Christiansen, Malmo’s veteran Danish captain, played in both legs back then and is still the centrepoint of a system designed to get the attacking midfielder on the ball as often as possible. Rydstrom's style chimes with an approach categorised as “relationism” by the Scottish coach and writer Jamie Hamilton, with whom the former Kalmar midfielder regularly converses. It is essentially an attacking style that does not have fixed positions, and might most usefully be understood as the polar opposite of the “positional” credo of the Pep Guardiola school.
The Verdict
Rangers will be hoping to bounce back from a disappointing start to the season with a strong performance in Europe. However, they face a tough test against a Malmo side who are brimming with confidence and playing some of the best football in Sweden. It's a game that could go either way, but Malmo's home advantage and their recent form give them a slight edge.
Final Thoughts
The game between Malmo and Rangers is a clash of styles, with Malmo's attacking and fluid approach contrasting with Rangers' more pragmatic approach. The game is sure to be a fascinating encounter, and it will be interesting to see if Rangers can overcome their recent struggles on the road and get their Europa League campaign off to a winning start.
