Dejan Stankovic backs Red Star to win Europa League if they beat Rangers
Rangers will have to reset and go again in the Europa League when they welcome Serbian champions Red Star Belgrade to Ibrox on Thursday.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side were tremendous in beating Borussia Dortmund in the previous round while their next opponents got a bye after winning their group.
Crvena Zvezda manager Dejan Stankovic hopes his side can go all the way in Europe’s second most prestigious club competition if they can oust the Light Blues.
“The Europa League has shown it’s a competition that is full of surprises,” he said, as quoted by the Glasgow Times. “I think whoever wins it this season will be an unexpected one. Hopefully, it is us.
“We respect Rangers. They are a very strong team, who are physically quick and who have been together for a long time.
“It will be a difficult game in Glasgow, but believe me we are ready for it. I believe it will take two games to separate the clubs because we are similar. The away goal doesn’t matter on Thursday.
“We could have drawn harder teams than Rangers. I am an optimist and I believe we can defeat them and go a long way in the Europa League. I think it’s a competition that is tailored for us.”
Sky’s the limit
Let’s not get complacent with the size of the game rapidly approaching; it’s a massive night for Rangers Football Club.
The Gers have the chance to put the game to bed on home turf at Ibrox despite Stankovic’s claims.
They should have the beating of the Serbian champions if they play to their best but they are as aware as any team of what an underdog can do.
That’s because they were in that exact position against Dortmund and caused a huge upset in the process which is precisely what Red Star will be planning on executing.
Should they come through this two-legged affair with their name in the quarter-final hat, then they have just as good a chance as anyone at winning the whole thing.
When the day comes, there is no team in the world Rangers cannot beat if van Bronckhorst has them fired up.
In other Rangers news, John Hartson has had his say on the Scottish Premiership title race after recent developments.