Dan Godfrey

Mon 3 March 2025 10:40, UK

Rangers will be glad to take a break from the Scottish Premiership following the weekend defeat by Motherwell.

Saturday’s result handed Rangers their third straight loss at Ibrox in all competitions, another nail in a dismal domestic season, and a first taste of defeat in charge for Barry Ferguson.

However, focus can now be solely averted back to the Europa League, with the knockout stages getting underway with a trip to Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce on Thursday (6 March).

Rangers result at Fenerbahce predicted by Opta

Rangers supporters have been anticipating this tie for some time, with no route to success domestically this season and some of the team’s best form shown in the league phase of the Europa League.

The Gers won four of their eight games – including a 4-1 away win in Nice and a 4-0 home trouncing of FCSB – to snatch a place in the top eight of the league, setting up a tie with Fenerbahce which sees the second leg take shape at Ibrox on 13 March.

The Opta supercomputer has predicted the outcome of the first leg in Turkiye based on their statistical algorithm, judging the home side considerable favourites with a 55.4 per cent chance of emerging victorious.

Rangers are ranked as outsiders with just a 21.6 per cent probability of winning in Istanbul, leaving a 23 per cent chance of a draw to leave the Ibrox leg as an outright decider.

Ferguson and his side have no league match in between the two legs, rendering the whole tie the sole mission before the Old Firm visit to Celtic Park on 16 March, which is set to see some Rangers supporters allowed into the stadium in a major breakthrough.

Rangers are confident in Europe

With respect, Ferguson would himself admit that when he was managing in the Scottish lower leagues in recent years while Mourinho was continuing to scoop what is now 21 major managerial honours, he would not have expected the two to do battle this soon.

But that’s how it has shaped up – and not only that, the new Rangers manager will have every faith he and his side can come out on top, particularly when returning to Ibrox knowing how their fate lies.

If there is one arena in which the Light Blues can raise their game, it’s on the European stage. The whole fibre of the club appears to take value from recent escapades in this competition, namely two finals since the turn of the century.

For all the nightmares Philippe Clement had during a stint which inevitably ended just over a week ago, he can take solace from delivering some memorable European nights only this season.

Rangers may not be fancied by the data and analytics, but their footballing hunger is a different beast in Europe. Mourinho has not met Barry Ferguson yet.