How Rangers and Europa League seem made for each other
2025-01-31
Category: sports

As former Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield put it, the Ibrox club and the Europa League seem to be made for each other.This season, like many before it, European football's second-tier competition has been Rangers' salvation amid choppy domestic waters.Victory against Union Saint-Gilloise sealed an unlikely top-eight berth and safe passage to the last 16 as Rangers made it to the Europa League knockouts for a fifth consecutive time.As manager Philippe Clement was keen to stress afterwards, they have done it again despite a very difficult fixture list and a raft of injuries, particularly in defence.Having been under pressure for league performances, especially away from home, the Rangers boss can now point to a seriously impressive achievement this term."It's good people start to see more and more, things a few months ago people maybe didn't believe," Clement said."Qualification in this Europa League is one of these things. The club is on the right way. Is it fast enough to win everything? That's our ambition."We need to create this culture and more and more I see it. They know what it means to play for this club."
Rangers do it the hard way
It's worth emphasising just how rocky the path was for Rangers to finish in the top eight, having started the final matchday in 13th place in the standings.They ended up playing four of the other seven teams who went straight to the last 16 in Manchester United, Tottenham, Lyon and Olympiakos.During the eight matches they ended up playing seven different back-four combinations due to a series of casualties.Right-back Neraysho Kasanwirjo played left-back against Malmo before he suffered a season-ending injury. Left-back Ridvan Yilmaz had to play right-back against two Premier League sides, while James Tavernier ended up at centre-back against Manchestr United and Union.At Ibrox against the Belgians, diminutive right winger Ross McCausland filled in on the right of defence after Leon King was forced off inside the first quarter with a head knock.In their final two games, Rangers finished with several teenagers on the pitch. All that considered, the resilience was seriously impressive as they finished eighth having only been outscored by three sides."Maybe we don't have the talent of other teams - but it's about mentality," Clement said. "The belief was there from the first day but it's about digging in and giving everything we have."We had to be very creative the last few months but we've done it brilliantly."Massive clubs with massive budgets have finished behind us, and around us, the achievement is only bigger by beating four of the seven top teams."
Can they roll it back to 2022?
Rangers can now wait and watch next month's knockout round play-offs, knowing they will play either Bodo/Glimt, Anderlecht, Twente or Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce.All will pose a challenge, but none will strike fear into Rangers' hearts. Of the current squad, only Tavernier and Leon Balogun played a big role in their run to the final in 2022, when they suffered penalty heartbreak against Eintracht Frankfurt.That shows the scale of the change at Ibrox in just a few years. However, the club seems to have muscle memory when it comes to the Europa League.Having already played four of the top seven and only been outclassed by Lyon so far, and with no teams dropping down from the Champions League this year, they will fancy another deep run.Plus they can now add players to their squad who they did not initially register, such as Danilo and Ianis Hagi, and also wait for some of their injured players to return.McCausland was asked after the match if he thinks they can go all the way."Definitely, 100%," was his reply. Whether they do or not, Rangers fans can strap themselves in for another Europa League adventure in the spring.