BlueMeanie
Well-Known Member
RANGERS will fear no foe when the draw for the Europa League last 32 is made on Monday as Steven Gerrard’s side look to make another mark on the continent this term.
And defender Nikola Katic has set his sights on a Battle of Britain showdown with Manchester United after the Light Blues clinched their berth in the knockout rounds.
Top spot in Group G eluded Rangers on Thursday night as Young Boys snatched a draw that wasn’t enough for them to qualify but one that ensured that Porto would be seeded in the next stage.
The main aim of qualification was completed for the Gers, though. Having started out in Gibraltar way back in July, the achievement of making it out of their section cannot be underestimated.
The likes of Ajax and Inter Milan potentially lie in wait, as do Arsenal. But Croatian stopper Katic would prefer to avoid a tie with his boyhood heroes and take on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side instead.
“I would like Man United,” Katic said. “They are all good teams in the draw, but whoever comes here to Ibrox will find it really tough.
“When I was a kid I supported Arsenal, but I think we would have a chance against Man United.
“We have shown what we can do. Man United are not playing great just now. When you look at Porto, a club that is not on the same level but a similar one, we showed against them that we can play. So why not against Man United?
“It (Ibrox) is something special, with the atmosphere and everything else. When we played Legia Warsaw, I played against the striker Sandro Kulenovic, who is a team-mate of mine from the national team.
“After five minutes he said to me that he didn’t know where he was anymore. It felt like there were 100,000 people inside the stadium.
“It’s really tough for whoever comes to Ibrox and that’s why we have that record.
“I don’t know [if teams are scared of Rangers now], but I think some of the teams in our group might have thought they could go easy with us. We showed them different.
“Now we have some respect but I don’t know what the other teams want from the draw. I repeat again, however, it will tough for whoever comes here.”
The route to the last 16 of the competition could have been slightly less daunting for Rangers had they been able to hold on for a couple more minutes on Thursday evening but an unfortunate own goal from Borna Barisic denied them at the death.
Alfredo Morelos’ sixth strike in five European outings had given Gerrard’s side a deserved lead and ensured he finished as the top scorer in the group stages this term.
It wasn’t enough for victory, but the achievement and the performances overall have certainly raised Rangers’ profile as Gerrard has re-established the Light Blues on the European stage.
In the end, two wins – at home to Feyenoord and Porto - from six matches was enough for Rangers but they could easily have collected a handful more points as they competed admirably on the road and suffered their only defeat in Bern back in October.
“It was crazy,” Katic said of the way Group G unfolded. “That’s why I am disappointed. Against Porto home and away, we played football. Against Porto at home, except maybe the first 15 minutes, we played really well to win the game.
“When you play like that against Porto, who last year went out of the Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool, who went on to win it, you show that you can play football against the best teams. That’s why we are disappointed. We deserved to be at the top of the group.
“To be honest, I have spoken with Borna a few times about that (Rangers’ reputation). We agreed that we had to go to the group stage so that we deserved respect from other countries.
“When you speak with people in Croatia, if you ask them about the Scottish league, they all say ‘it’s not a good league, it’s too easy’. But now, we are showing a class of football in Europe. We are showing everyone we are a really good team. We have good quality.”
The draw on Monday will take care of itself but there are more pressing matters before and after it for Gerrard and his players to focus on.
A trip to Motherwell awaits this weekend, while the festive fixtures against Hibernian, Kilmarnock and Celtic will define the mood at Ibrox heading into the winter break.
Katic said: “It’s the life of a professional footballer that you have to play every three days. And you have to come to every game 100 per cent.
“Even if you play a team like East Fife, with all respect, like we did earlier this season, or another team from the lower leagues, you will not have a good time unless you are 100 per cent.
“If you ask the fans here if they want to win the Europa League or the domestic competition, I think 90 per cent would chose the Scottish league.
“So we have to be ready for Motherwell and go there to get three points, especially not having won in the last three games. We have to be 100 per cent to get the win.”
And defender Nikola Katic has set his sights on a Battle of Britain showdown with Manchester United after the Light Blues clinched their berth in the knockout rounds.
Top spot in Group G eluded Rangers on Thursday night as Young Boys snatched a draw that wasn’t enough for them to qualify but one that ensured that Porto would be seeded in the next stage.
The main aim of qualification was completed for the Gers, though. Having started out in Gibraltar way back in July, the achievement of making it out of their section cannot be underestimated.
The likes of Ajax and Inter Milan potentially lie in wait, as do Arsenal. But Croatian stopper Katic would prefer to avoid a tie with his boyhood heroes and take on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side instead.
“I would like Man United,” Katic said. “They are all good teams in the draw, but whoever comes here to Ibrox will find it really tough.
“When I was a kid I supported Arsenal, but I think we would have a chance against Man United.
“We have shown what we can do. Man United are not playing great just now. When you look at Porto, a club that is not on the same level but a similar one, we showed against them that we can play. So why not against Man United?
“It (Ibrox) is something special, with the atmosphere and everything else. When we played Legia Warsaw, I played against the striker Sandro Kulenovic, who is a team-mate of mine from the national team.
“After five minutes he said to me that he didn’t know where he was anymore. It felt like there were 100,000 people inside the stadium.
“It’s really tough for whoever comes to Ibrox and that’s why we have that record.
“I don’t know [if teams are scared of Rangers now], but I think some of the teams in our group might have thought they could go easy with us. We showed them different.
“Now we have some respect but I don’t know what the other teams want from the draw. I repeat again, however, it will tough for whoever comes here.”
The route to the last 16 of the competition could have been slightly less daunting for Rangers had they been able to hold on for a couple more minutes on Thursday evening but an unfortunate own goal from Borna Barisic denied them at the death.
Alfredo Morelos’ sixth strike in five European outings had given Gerrard’s side a deserved lead and ensured he finished as the top scorer in the group stages this term.
It wasn’t enough for victory, but the achievement and the performances overall have certainly raised Rangers’ profile as Gerrard has re-established the Light Blues on the European stage.
In the end, two wins – at home to Feyenoord and Porto - from six matches was enough for Rangers but they could easily have collected a handful more points as they competed admirably on the road and suffered their only defeat in Bern back in October.
“It was crazy,” Katic said of the way Group G unfolded. “That’s why I am disappointed. Against Porto home and away, we played football. Against Porto at home, except maybe the first 15 minutes, we played really well to win the game.
“When you play like that against Porto, who last year went out of the Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool, who went on to win it, you show that you can play football against the best teams. That’s why we are disappointed. We deserved to be at the top of the group.
“To be honest, I have spoken with Borna a few times about that (Rangers’ reputation). We agreed that we had to go to the group stage so that we deserved respect from other countries.
“When you speak with people in Croatia, if you ask them about the Scottish league, they all say ‘it’s not a good league, it’s too easy’. But now, we are showing a class of football in Europe. We are showing everyone we are a really good team. We have good quality.”
The draw on Monday will take care of itself but there are more pressing matters before and after it for Gerrard and his players to focus on.
A trip to Motherwell awaits this weekend, while the festive fixtures against Hibernian, Kilmarnock and Celtic will define the mood at Ibrox heading into the winter break.
Katic said: “It’s the life of a professional footballer that you have to play every three days. And you have to come to every game 100 per cent.
“Even if you play a team like East Fife, with all respect, like we did earlier this season, or another team from the lower leagues, you will not have a good time unless you are 100 per cent.
“If you ask the fans here if they want to win the Europa League or the domestic competition, I think 90 per cent would chose the Scottish league.
“So we have to be ready for Motherwell and go there to get three points, especially not having won in the last three games. We have to be 100 per cent to get the win.”
