Scott Arfield blown away as ‘phenomenal’ Connor Barron shines v Fenerbahce
Rangers battled to a 3-1 win over Fenerbahce in the Europa League on Thursday, continuing their fine form on the continent.
A double from Vaclav Cerny gave Rangers a comfortable lead after Cyriel Dessers’ opener, handing the Bears an all-important advantage.
Barry Ferguson‘s side head back to Ibrox next week (13 March) holding all the cards in the second leg and look set to progress to the quarter-finals barring a collapse.
Scott Arfield knows what winning in Europe is all about at Ibrox, and he was blown away.
Conor Barron impresses against Fenerbahce
Arfield has highlighted Connor Barron for his role in the famous victory in Turkiye.
The young midfielder put in a tremendous display and constantly harassed the opposition to win the ball back in the engine room, despite limited minutes recently.
Speaking on BBC Sportsound (6 March, 21:28), Arfield said: “A special mention to Connor Barron, his work rate is absolutely phenomenal.
“A phenomenal performance and they are in the driving seat now.”
Rangers can rely on Barron
The former Aberdeen man has struggled to get into the starting line-up since his controversial move to Ibrox.
He has started 52 per cent of the Gers league matches this season, primarily in the abysmal reign of Philippe Clement, however, he has been a near ever-present in the Europa League.
| Stats | League starts | Europa League starts |
| Barron | 15 (52%) | 7 (78%) |
The 22-year-old has started 78 per cent of games in that competition, missing just one match completely, the dramatic league-phase finale against Union Saint-Gilloise.
The midfielder is behind Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande in the pecking order but could forge a starting role after his impressive display against Jose Mourinho’s side as the Gers brushed them aside.
The Scotsman made four clearances, two interceptions and five recoveries against the Turkish outfit in a combative display in the centre of the park. [Fotmob]
Ferguson may decide that he needs to ring the changes to improve domestic results after the dismal loss to Motherwell (1 March) and Barron could be the major beneficiary if he does make adjustments.
He will be relishing the chance of an increased role after a great display of his ability on Thursday but will need to grasp any chance he gets with both hands.