‘This spells trouble’ – Charlie Nicholas predicts Rangers clash v Braga
Charlie Nicholas has predicted that Rangers will be knocked out of the Europa League when they face SC Braga this evening.
The Gers go into their second leg clash with a 3-2 lead on aggregate, following a dramatic comeback against the Portuguese side at Ibrox on Thursday evening.
But Nicholas believes that they will slip up in the return fixture, even with that slender lead going into it.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “Rangers know the [Scottish Premiership] title is gone. Steven Gerrard has been unhappy with the defence and questioned it quite a bit. It has been poor and evident for all to see.
“Gerrard has introduced the fighting spirit to this Rangers team. They have a really good away record in the Europa League, but I fear Braga are too good for them. It has been amazing for them to get here but I think they will go out on away goals.
“You cannot trust the defence at the minute, while Alfredo Morelos is suspended, so this spells trouble.”
Nicholas predicts a 2-1 defeat for Rangers, with the Gers going out of the competition on away goals.
Will Nicholas be correct in his prediction?
Look, let’s be honest, it’s difficult to have any kind of substantial faith in Rangers at the moment.
Steven Gerrard’s men are in a patchy run of form at best, and even when they do put in a good performance, like the one we saw against Braga last week, it has generally been followed by a collapse shortly after – as we saw against St. Johnstone over the weekend.
Still, for Nicholas to say that Braga are too good for the Gers seems a but strange.
They literally beat the Portuguese side less than a week ago, and once they found their rhythm in the second half, looked much the better side in doing so too.
Nicholas needs to make up his mind too, because it was only last week that he seemed sure the Gers were going to get through this one.
Sure, they won’t have Alfredo Morelos available, and it’s true that they went off the boil substantially on Sunday too, but has that much really changed in six days? Let’s hope not.
In other Rangers news, Report – BBC reach decision over Michael Stewart punishment following Gers outburst.