Rangers vs Panathinaikos Prediction: New Look Gers to open with a Champions League win

It has been another summer of change in Govan with a club takeover from Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers Enterprises. The bold and ambitious board have bankrolled new manager Russell Martin’s revamp, with several flops from the Philippe Clement era replaced with fresh blood.

It’s an exciting time for Rangers fans, but the talking stops now, with the light blues facing Panathinaikos at Ibrox on Tuesday evening in a UEFA Champions League 2nd round qualifier. Will the Gers make home advantage count? Betfred’s Scottish football writer Frank Monkhouse returns for another season, offering his preview and of course - those all-important Rangers vs Panathinaikos Predictions...

Rangers fans packing Ibrox Stadium for the return of competitive football on Tuesday evening will get their first proper look at the Russell Martin regime. The former Gers defender didn’t exactly set the heather alight in Glasgow as a player, but the Scotland international is confident he’s the man to bring back the glory days.

Martin’s squad isn’t yet the finished article, with more comings and goings guaranteed before the summer transfer window slams shut. But there will be several new faces in the starting line-up. Everyone connected to the club hopes they hit the ground running. Will Gers secure a crucial home win, ensuring they travel to Greece next Wednesday with an aggregate advantage. The visitors, known as The Greens, would love to upset the party.

Rangers vs Panathinaikos Odds

It’s never easy predicting how a match will play out so early in the season, especially with a clutch of changes on and off the pitch. Followers of Scottish football will be delighted to learn Betfred traders have priced up Tuesday’s showdown, and there’s plenty of betting value available to those willing to look for it. Will we see a home win? You can bet on Rangers in the match-winner market at 4/5.

Panathinaikos finished second in last season’s Greek Super League, ending 16 points behind champions Olympiakos, who left the chasing pack choking in their dust. The stats show Rui Vitoria’s men struggled on their travels, winning just six of their 16 road trips and ending with a -3 goal difference. That leaky defence will be pushed to breaking point again on Tuesday before a passionate home support. The away win is 3/1 with the draw trading at 12/5. Those quotes are correct at the time of writing, lifted from the Betfred site and app.

Rangers win @ 4/5 (Betfred)

As previously mentioned, Martin doesn’t have his Rangers team exactly where he wants it just yet, and he’s moving slower than many fans are comfortable with, but the squad selected for this Champions League double header know they must win at all costs. It doesn’t need to be easy on the eye at this stage of proceedings, with the result much more important than the performance. They must progress to the next round, and the best way to achieve that is by bagging a home win.

There’s likely to be a few teething problems, with the starting line-up featuring some players from last season desperate to prove they have a future at this football club, and the new arrivals eager to win favour with fans as soon as possible. The home support has spooked some bigger names than Panathinaikos in Europe over the last few seasons, and the crowd’s influence will drive the home team to another important European victory under the bright lights of Ibrox. You can back Rangers as a single or add them to your midweek accas.

Rangers win and both score @ 13/5 (Betfred)

Moving to our second bet on Tuesday, and it’s one for those chasing a bigger price. Followers of my Scottish football previews and predictions enjoyed some memorable wins last term, including more than a few correct scores. It’s still too early in the season to target the scoreline due to the lack of stats and trends, but I believe goals are a safe bet.

In a month or two, Rangers would be favourites to beat Panathiakos comfortably and would be expected to keep a clean sheet. But it’s a new-look defence with fresh ideas and a plan that’s buit on playing out from the back. With mistakes likely and a lack of fitness playing a part, we’ll stick with our original bet on Rangers to win, but place our trust in the visitors finding the net at least once to keep things competitive ahead of the return leg. The odds look about fair, and I’m happy to test our luck early.

Frank Monkhouse Scottish Football P/L

24/25 Season:

• Points Placed: 257
• Points Returned: 252.25
• P/L: -4.75

Frank Monkhouse covers Scottish Football for us here at Betfred Insights. You can check out all of his work along with that of the rest of our Football Betting Tips desk on our main Football page...