Porto were handed a huge boost ahead of their cup tie with Rangers, with Moussa Marega set to return to the squad. The striker from Mali was missing from the first leg of the group stage meeting with a muscle injury (Sky Sports).
The striker can play off the on the left or right of the attack, but mainly lines up in the centre of the field (transfermarkt.co.uk). In six Liga NOS appearances, he has netted four goals and registered two assists. He is clearly a potent finisher but is yet to score a goal in his 250 minutes in the UEFA Europa League (WhoScored). But while the striker is a deadly finisher in Liga NOS, Rangers have the ability to deal with him.
TIF Tactics – How can Rangers stop Marega?
Of the four goals the striker has scored this year, two have been in or just outside the six-yard box. The other two were in the 18-yard box. His past statistics show that he normally scores from inside the penalty box, rarely scoring from outside of the area (WhoScored.com). One of his goals this year was scored with his head, while the other three were scored with his right. Throughout his career, though, Marega has always favoured his right foot, rarely utilising other parts of his body (WhoScored.com).
If Rangers want to deal with the player effectively, they must prevent him from shooting with his right foot in the box. His statistics clearly show an inability to shoot with both feet. Compared to Alfredo Morelos, who can score just as many with his head and non-dominant foot as he does with his right (transfermarkt.co.uk), Marega could be much more predictable in his shot selection.
It is also interesting to note that the goal Porto scored in the last game was outside of the box. Despite this, the team from Portugal registered two shots from outside the box, six from inside the 18-yard box, and two from in the six-yard box (WhoScored.com). In fact, in the game against Young Boys, one of their goals came from outside of the box as well, with the other being scored in the six. In that game, Young Boys registered four shots from outside the area, five shots from inside the 18, and two from inside the six (WhoScored.com).
Rangers have already shown their ability to effectively defend shots from the areas that Marega likes to operate in. If Rangers’ defenders can highlight this flaw in Marega’s game, perhaps they can shut down the £27m-rated striker for the duration of the 90-minute competition.