It’s total mismatch but Gers can punch above their weight
“This is heavyweight boxing, anyone can win with one punch.”
Big Tyson Fury hit the nail on the head last week in the build-up to his dust-up last night with Dillian Whyte. When the big lads step in to the ring, it doesn’t matter how the scoring is going or who is in charge of the rounds.
It only takes a haymaker from one of these giants to leave the other splattered on the canvas.
But it doesn’t work that way in other sports. Especially football.
Which is why it’s incredible Rangers are in with a chance of knocking out RB Leipzig and reaching the final of the Europa League. This is no heavyweight contest. This is a wee nippy lightweight trying to topple a 20-stone giant.
It should be an incredible mismatch. Leipzig might not have the European pedigree or heritage of the rest of the continent’s aristocrats.
They are new money upstarts on the big stage, having been pumped full of Red Bull dosh to create a kind of turbo Gretna.
But cash comes in pretty handy when clubs want success.
RB have a wage bill way over £100million a year – Rangers have had to wring out every penny to get to around just a third of their salary budget.
It should be a no-contest. But we know it won’t be because – forget about what’s happening at home – there’s something special about this Rangers side whenever they get on a plane.
Ibrox fans know their side are up against it. Yet they are also aware this side can somehow summon up the strength of a heavyweight to KO top teams out of the blue.
They might just do it again this week, even if Gio van Bronckhorst’s men are up against the ropes. It’s Sod’s Law they’ve lost key men at such a vital time.
Losing Alfredo Morelos is a shattering blow. It’s like stepping into the ring with one hand behind your back with a blindfold on.
Chuck in Kemar Roofe’s injury and Aaron Ramsay being ruled out and even gets diehards will admit this might be beyond even these Euro scrappers.
We’ve heard this before though. Rangers have been written off countless times.
And they’ve defied belief.
The good thing is although it’s wee Davie against big Goliath stuff, it’s more of a free hit for Rangers. Just like it was against Borussia Dortmund, likewise against Red Star and Braga.
No one would have been protesting outside Ibrox if they’d stumbled at any of these stages as most know it’s an incredible story to be even competing in this environment.
It wasn’t so long ago the ball was on the Glebe Park hedge and Pedro was standing in the bush.
Even this season, Rangers lost their first couple of Europa League group games – and watched their box-office manager do a bunk midway through a massive campaign.
Rangers could get their drawers whipped off and their backsides smacked black and blue in this tie and it wouldn’t matter.
This campaign – and season – has been a remarkable success.
Reaching the last-four in
Europe is a stunning achievement when the dice are loaded against clubs outside the top four leagues.
Reaching the final? It would be up there with any of the great Scottish football achievements – certainly a match for Walter Smith managing to take a budget Gers side to Manchester in 2008.
Rangers have punched way above their weight at this level in the last few years.
They will go toe-to-toe with another big opponent this week and no one should be surprised if they can bob and weave to another sensational result.
It should be a no-contest .. but there’s something special about this Gers side when they
get on a plane