Eurogamesmight honeGersintoa teambutWellon August5thisone thatreallycounts

IT was the date that was circled on calendars at Ibrox and Auchenhowie and the day that Pedro Caixinha was working towards as soon as the ink was dry on his Rangers contract.

It was an important occasion and the start of a new chapter after a tale of woe last term. It wasn’t the most important 90 minutes Rangers will play this summer, though.

The return to European action was another small step on the road to recovery for the Light Blues and Caixinha’s side ensured the six-year long wait was worth it at Ibrox.

As performances go, the one that earned victory over Progres Niederkorn on Thursday night was hardly enthralling. Realistically, it was never going to be from Rangers.

Ever since the final whistle at McDiarmid Park on May 21, a moment that broughtg the curtain down on a forgettable and uninspiring ng campaign, the focus has been en fixed on the Europa League ue first round tie.

A short summer break and a condenseddensed preseason laterter and Caixinha’sa’s side, with three new w faces i n the starting line-up, p, returned to o competi- tive action n in front of f a capacity y home crowd. Now the G Gers will look to fi finish the job they s started, thanks to K Kenny Miller’s first-half strike, when they take to th the field at the Stade JosyJo Barthel tomorrow e evening. Th The margin of victory may have been tight, and Pr Progres may have briefly t threatened, but Rangers head to Luxembourg in the driving seat. They sh should return to Glasgow with a second round be berth and a meeting with AELAE Limassol secured. The benefits, in terms of finance, experience and co-efficient points are crucial, but it is the extra match minutes that matter most for Caixinha’s side. Bounce games against TNS, Coleraine and St Johnstone were hardly ideal preparation for the first competitive outing of the campaign at Ibrox last week.

But another couple of Europa League clashes would undoubtedly stand the Gers in good stead for the opening weekend of the Premiership next month.

Rangers will kick off with a trip to Fir Park on Saturday, August 5, and it is that afternoon that is the most important one for Caixinha. The European outings have given fans a chance to see their side in action and get a first look at the new faces after a summer transfer market that has seen eight players arrive so far.

But it is in the domestic arena where Caixinha and his recruits will be judged and where they must have success in the coming weeks and months. If Rangers can find a way past Limassol – no easy task – that will give provide them with their sternest examinations before a Premiership ball is kicked.

The likes of AC Milan or Everton could await the Gers, who will be unseeded once again at that stage should they get there, and the chances of Caixinha’s side going through all four rounds to reach the group stages are slim.

NEITHER the Ibrox boss nor the Light Blue legions will be taking anything for granted at this juncture, of course. It is one game and one round at a time.

But the perks of progression will not be out of their minds as they look to hit the ground running in the Premiership next month. With Celtic visiting Ibrox for the first Old Firm fixture in September, the opening half a dozen league outings are crucial for Rangers.

If they are to mount any kind of challenge this term, they must surely be ahead of or within touching distance of Brendan Rodgers’ side by the time the final whistle blows at Ibrox.

There can be no repeat of the results last term that saw points dropped at home to Hamilton and away to Dundee before the demolition derby at Parkhead that set the tone for the remainder of Mark Warburton’s reign.

Rangers go into their second season back in the top flight with a renewed sense of optimism. The challenge for Caixinha will be to maintain that momentum and keep supporters onside as his summer signings settle into life at Ibrox.

Having got off and running with a win this term, another couple in the coming weeks would certainly stand Rangers in good stead. One big day has come and gone. The next milestone date will signal the start of a season that will shape Caixinha’s Ibrox destiny. players – like Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta – to playing alongside them.

Neymar said: “I won’t say it was difficult to adapt to the Barcelona dressing room when I arrived, but the first month was complicated.

“It was an exquisite situation, of course, because when I arrived and looked around, there was Messi on one and, on the other, Xavi … or Iniesta, or Pique.

“It felt like I was in a video game: I’d just played on the console [with them] and suddenly I had them by my side.

“At first I was embarrassed to talk to them. They’re idols, my idols. And I was the newcomer and very young, so yes..

“But they quickly put me at my ease but it was definitely a daunting first few months for me.”