Rangers and Portsmouth miss out on ‘showpiece’ friendly after European development
Rangers were lined up for a “showpiece” July friendly with League One side Portsmouth, according to The Portsmouth News.
However, the fixture could not be finalised, with the Gers instead focussing on other opposition ahead of their Champions League qualifying round in August (The News, 6 June).
Pompey are currently celebrating their 125th anniversary and it’s believed the Gers were open to the idea of travelling down to the South Coast.
The League One side will now face an underwhelming clash against Bristol City.
Shame
Rangers have previously travelled down to face Portsmouth during the off-season and this would have been a fitting way to mark their anniversary celebrations. It’s probably not a massive deal for most Gers fans, but it still would have been a nice weekend away for the travelling contingent.
However, European commitments have to come first for the Gers. They must prepare in the right way and facing continental competition ahead of their Champions League campaign is a must. Michael Beale must ensure his side make it into Europe’s best competition.
We all know the financial boost the Champions League can provide. In fact, we are probably seeing the board splash some of the cash from their participation in this season’s group stage.
The likes of Jack Butland and Kieran Dowell will be on decent wages at Ibrox. That money hasn’t magically emerged out of thin air. Let’s hope the Light Blues’ Champions League campaign is slightly more successful than their 2022 attempt.
In other Rangers news, confirmed Gers transfer news has been tipped to “lift” the club just at the time that Celtic are looking “unstable”.