Philippe Clement has smarts questioned as rival questions how Rangers would cope with his B team

Rangers have an opportunity to bounce back from their Kilmarnock blow when they face FCSB in the Europa League this Thursday.

When the draw was made for the league phase, facing the Romanian side at home would have been one earmarked as a good chance to pick up three points for Gers.

They have since won their opening day games which may have tempered that slightly. But after an away derby win against Dinamo Bucaresti, manager Elias Charalambous plans to rotate his FCSB side to keep key men fresh for domestic action as they try to play catch-up to leaders Universitatea Cluj.

Clement and Rangers readiness for FCSB questioned

Owner Gigi Becali was the one who told how FCSB would play a weakened team against Rangers.

The outspoken supremo has been addressing the subject again and made a slight tweak to the side he claims will start, with former Hearts and St Mirren defender Mihai Popescu coming in.

Becali has also laid down the gauntlet to Philippe Clement and questioned whether he is smart enough to come up with a plan to beat his side, and also asked what a defeat to his second string would do to the feeling around Ibrox.

He said, as per the Daily Record: “We have no secrets. I have already told Rangers my team. Let’s see how smart the Rangers manager is. If we were to beat Rangers with our second team…I mean, how would they cope? We will still play a good team in Glasgow.

“The central defenders will be Joyskim Dawa and Siyabonga Ngezana. We will have Mihai Popescu and Alexandru Pantea as the full backs. Malcom Edjouma, David Miculescu, Luis Phelipe and Marius Stefanescu will all definitely play for sure too.