Stevie G demands simply the best
Gers boss calls for a defensive display to Braga about
STEVEN GERRARD has called for the best defensive performance of his managerial career if Rangers are to reign in the Europa League.
The Ibrox boss admits his team must prepare to suffer in Braga but backed them to emerge victorious from this evening’s
round of 32 second-leg showdown.
Rangers produced a stunning comeback last week to secure a 3-2 firstleg lead, only to shoot themselves in the foot in Perth on Sunday with their worst defensive performance this term.
Gerrard has now demanded his players invoke the spirit of previous Euro glory nights if they are to win through at the iconic Estadio Municipal.
Rangers have stood tall in the last 18 months away to teams such as Feyenoord, Porto, Legia Warsaw, Midtjylland and Villarreal but Gerrard admits they will have to do even better in Braga.
He said: “Those results are relevant if we can find the same level of performance. That is the key. The reason we got success in those games is because the lads went out and really stuck to what we had worked on and were trying to do.
‘We’re going to have to use the experience of all of those games this time around. Collectively, we are probably going to have to find our best defensive performance as a group.
“There will be times we are going to have to suffer together as a team but there is no way we have come here just to protect and hang on.
“In all those previous games we always tried to carry a threat. Only in Warsaw did we fail to score and we were magnificent from a defensive point of view.
“All those previous scorelines get the job done and that is what it’s about this time around.”
Gerrard refused to say if Nikola Katic would partner Connor Goldson after the Croatian’s horror show in the 2-2 draw at St Johnstone but his options are limited with Filip Helander still injured and George Edmundson untested at this level.
Borna Barisic trained yesterday before jetting out with the team as Rangers prepare for four days that could make or break their season as they also prepare for a visit to bogey side Hearts in the Scottish Cup.
Gerrard admits the level of expectation is building as the title slips from the grasp of his group but he is adamant they can deliver in the round of 32.
He said: “I have to live with the pressure of the Rangers supporters and the club expecting us to qualify and I’m sure it’s the same for Braga.
“It’s 50-50 for both teams. The only surprise from the first game was there were just five goals.
“This second leg is very important for many reasons and it is an opportunity we want to grasp.”