Malmo will welcome back captain Anders Christiansen for their Europa League tie against Rangers this week after he recovered from injury.

And fellow veteran, Swedish international, Martin Olsson, will also be available for the Swedish side ahead of Thursday's opening game.

Malmo were rocked after it was confirmed their record £1.8 million signing - former Celtic ace Sead Haksabanovic - had not recovered in time and won't face an Old Firm reunion against Rangers.

But manager Henrik Rydstrom has confirmed that influential skipper, 34-year-old-Danish midfielder Christiansen is back fully fit along with 36-year-old Olsson.

He said: "Both players have missed some training sessions, but they fit again and are available for selection."

And Rydstrom has a decision to make about which keeper will play against Rangers after praising back-up Ricardo Friedrich, who has played the last few matches after regular No.1 Johan Dahlin was rested.

Rydstrom said: "It's been really good for Ricardo to get some game time and he has been excellent.

"We need two good goalkeepers and I think Ricardo is at the same level as Johan."

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Meanwhile, Philippe Clement last night insisted that Rangers captain James Tavernier had deserved the warm applause he received from the Ibrox club’s supporters when he came off in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final win over Dundee.

Tavernier was targeted for sickening personal abuse in the wake of the 3-0 defeat the Glasgow club suffered at the hands of their city rivals Celtic in a William Hill Premiership match at Parkhead at the start of the month.

Clement expressed his unhappiness at the individuals who had “crossed a certain line” in the wake of the Old Firm loss after watching the defending champions ease into the semi-finals with a comfortable 3-0 triumph in Govan.