Daniel Lewis

Wed 25 October 2023 19:32, UK

Brian Priske has urged Sparta Prague and Rangers supporters to be on their best behaviour when the sides meet in the Europa League on Thursday (26 October).

The most recent meeting between the teams in September 2021 was overshadowed by constant jeers aimed at then-Gers midfielder Glen Kamara, who was a victim of racist abuse by Slavia Prague player Ondrej Kudela earlier that year.

Sparta had been due to play the game in front of no supporters, but they were then allowed to welcome 10,000 youngsters into the ground after UEFA watered down the sanctions.

Tensions are understandably high ahead of Rangers’ latest trip to the Czech capital, but Sparta head coach Priske has issued a plea to both his own supporters and those travelling from Scotland.

“What I think is definitely important is a message from me, not just to our fans but also to the fans of Rangers,” he said at a pre-match press conference on Wednesday (25 October), as quoted by the Daily Record.

“We all know what happened some years ago, so I think it’s important for sure to send the statement that players, staff, everybody is here to perform a really nice game, a really top game at our absolute highest.

“We as a club need to – and this also goes for Rangers because I know they have a lot fans coming in – create an amazing atmosphere that we can all be proud of in this country. We need to send a signal that we are pro-football and that racism doesn’t belong whatsoever in football in any aspect.

“That’s definitely what I – and we – would like to encourage. We want our fans to send the signal, a strong signal, to everybody watching this game that we are here to play football and to lift our own boys.”

Shocking

Rangers supporters are making the trip to Prague in their numbers for Philippe Clement’s first European match in charge.

The Light Blues kicked off their Europa League campaign with a 1-0 win over Real Betis, before going down 2-1 to Aris Limassol under the watch of caretaker boss Steven Davis.

It is therefore important Clement’s men pick up a positive result at Generali Arena – ideally a victory – in order to keep the club’s hopes of progression in their own hands.

As for those making the trip to Czech Republic, they will no doubt be in high spirits and on their best behaviour.

Those events involving Kamara a couple of years ago against Sparta were shocking, although it should be mentioned that UEFA did clear them of accusations of racism [The Athletic].

The fact Sparta were allowed any fans inside the ground, having initially been hit with a full stadium closure due to previous racist chanting, was rather comical.

It will be a packed out ground this week, though, and every Rangers player will have to be on top form if they are to keep the momentum going under Clement.

In other Rangers news, a first-team player has made a vow after something that happened last weekend.