Ben Wild

Wed 4 November 2020 21:00, UK

Benfica boss Jorge Jesus had admitted he wants his side to be the team who end Rangers’ unbeaten record this season ahead of their Europa League meeting.

It doesn’t need saying that Jesus wants his team to win when the sides meet at Estadio da Luz on Thursday but he has spoken of his desire to end the unbeaten streak that the Gers have maintained this season.

As quoted by The Daily Record, the 66-year-old said the game will be ‘difficult’ for his side but claimed he has the ‘team to beat’ the Gers.

He said: “It will be difficult for Benfica, but it will also be difficult for Rangers. We want to perform well, as we did with Standard Liege, knowing that this opponent is stronger. We will face a powerful team in the Europa League, with history.

“We will have a difficult opponent, with the ability to contest the result at the Estadio da Luz and we think we have a team to beat this opponent, although this year they have not lost yet.

“We want to be the first this season to beat Glasgow Rangers.”

Beating Rangers is easier said than done and no team in Europe or Scotland has worked out how to do it so far this season. Jesus has his work cut out to end that unbeaten record but he does have a quality side at his disposal.

Steven Gerrard’s side face perhaps their toughest test this season on Thursday night as they face a side whose own unbeaten streak came to an end last weekend. Benfica lost 3-0 to relegation candidates Boavista in the Primeira Liga at the weekend and Jesus’ side will have to turn in a better performance on Thursday to end the Gers’ unbeaten streak.

Rangers would be in a very strong position to qualify for the knockout stages of the Europa League if they beat Benfica but the Light Blues struggled in their last European outing against Lech Poznan, luckily Alfredo Morelos bailed his side out with a late header.

In other Rangers news, Gerrard has spoken out for the first time after the club suspended Jordan Jones and George Edmundson.