Rangers in huge Europa League boost as Erling Haaland is ruled OUT of clash as he does not travel with Dortmund

ERLING HAALAND has been ruled out of Borussia Dortmund's Europa League clash against Rangers on Thursday night.

The German giants head to Ibrox following a shock 4-2 defeat at home to the Scottish champions last week in the play-off round of the competition.

And they will have to attempt a second leg comeback without their talisman Haaland.

The Norwegian has not travelled to Glasgow with the rest of the Dortmund squad.

Marco Rose's side have been without the forward for their last three Bundesliga games.

Haaland was suffering from muscular problems and so played no part in the games against Bayer Leverkusen and Union Berlin.

He was then deemed not fit enough to start against Borussia Monchengladbach at the weekend.

It is a major boost to Rangers as they look to qualify for the last 16 of the Europa League.

Haaland has scored a sensational 23 goals in just 20 appearances for Dortmund so far this season.

In the Bundesliga, he has averaged 1.26 goals per game.

The 21-year-old also netted three times in as many Champions League matches.

But despite that, he could not prevent Dortmund being eliminated in the group stage as they finished below Ajax and Sporting Lisbon.

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Meanwhile, Rangers' remarkable win over Dortmund came at a time when they had relinquished their position at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side have won just two of their last five league matches and slipped three points behind Celtic in the process.

But the Scots will be confident they can secure their place in the last 16 of the Europa League as they head into the return fixture with a two-goal cushion.

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