Rangers vs. Alashkert odds, picks, how to watch, live stream: Aug. 26 UEFA Europa League predictions

European soccer insider Martin Green just locked in his best bets for Thursday's Europa League qualifier on Paramount+

By CBS Sports Staff

Aug 26, 2021 at 9:07 am ET • 2 min read

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Reporters had to stake out the Glasgow Airport on Wednesday to get a look at which Rangers FC players and support staff had been affected by a recent COVID-19 outbreak within the club. Now, the Rangers will have to take on Alashkert in Armenia on Thursday without a number of key personnel, including manager Steven Gerard, captain James Tavernier, Ryan Kent, Allan McGregor and Calvin Bassey. They'll try to hold onto a 1-0 lead on aggregate in the UEFA Europa League qualifying play-off and you can catch the action live on Paramount+.

Kick-off for Rangers vs. Alashkert is set for 11 a.m. ET at Alashkert Stadium in Yerevan, Armenia. Rangers FC are the -187 favorite (risk $187 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line at Caesars Sportsbook, while Alashkert is +450 and a draw would return +275. The latest Rangers vs. Alashkert odds also list the over-under for total goals at 2.5. Thursday's match will be streamed live on Paramount+ with their must-have Premium plan.

Paramount+ now has levels of membership so you can watch the UEFA Champions League and much more. The Premium Plan is $9.99 per month and you can watch your local CBS live stream (including plenty of sports like SEC on CBS, NFL on CBS, and the PGA Tour), no ads, on demand and the ability to download episodes for offline viewing. Both plans come with a free week to start, so sign up now here.

How to watch Rangers vs. Alashkert

Date: Thursday, Aug. 26
Time: 11 a.m. ET
Streaming: Paramount+

Champions League picks for Rangers vs. Alashkert

Before you tune in to Thursday's Europa League qualifier, you need to see the UEFA Europa League picks from European soccer insider Martin Green. After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since then, his European soccer picks have been spot-on. Green has generated over $36,000 for $100 bettors since the 2017-18 season, and he has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.

For Rangers vs. Alashkert, Green is backing Alashkert to cover a 1.5-goal spread for a -187 payout. The Rangers were a sizable favorite in the first leg, but only managed a 1-0 victory at home after having John Lundstram sent off with a red card in the 43rd minute. He'll miss Thursday's game as a result.

Despite being shorthanded, Alfredo Morelos still managed to score in the 67th minute to give Rangers a lead. However, now Rangers FC will be without several starters because of the coronavirus outbreak.

That includes McGregor, the starting goalkeeper, and reserve goalie Jon McLaughlin, leaving Rangers FC with third-choice keeper Robby McCrorie in net. McCrorie has never played a senior team match with Rangers despite the club owning his rights since 2015. a big reason why Green sees Alashkert keeping it within the margin on Thursday.