Viktoria Plzen vs Rangers Prediction & Picks - Champions League

Prediction published on 8/12/25, 9:03 AM  by Erik Gibbs in Champions League Picks

Viktoria Plzeň and Rangers FC are set to clash in Plzeň for the decisive second leg of their Champions League qualifying tie, with the Scottish side firmly in command. Rangers come into this match with a 3-0 aggregate lead after a dominant first-leg performance at Ibrox in Glasgow. In that first meeting last week, Rangers were firing on all cylinders and put three goals past Plzeň’s defense while keeping a clean sheet themselves.

It was a statement win for Rangers, who have been determined to return to the Champions League group stage after missing out last season. Now Rangers are on the cusp of advancing to the playoff round; even a draw or a one- or two-goal loss in Plzeň would suffice, though surely they’ll aim to finish the job with another positive result.

Viktoria Plzeň, a traditionally strong club from the Czech Republic, face a monumental challenge in front of their home fans. They earned this matchup by winning their second-round qualifier against Swiss side Servette Geneva, a tie which saw Plzeň show resilience and goal-scoring ability (including a high-scoring home leg).

However, against Rangers the Czech side found themselves outmatched, especially in Glasgow where they struggled to cope with Rangers’ speed on the wings. Domestically, Plzeň has been in decent form early in the Czech league season – they typically are near the top of the Czech First League – but the step up in competition to a club of Rangers’ caliber was evident in the first leg. Plzeň will hope that playing at Doosan Arena can ignite a better performance.