Caixinha will treat Progres like Europa League final

Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha has told his players to treat their second leg against Progres Niederkorn tonight like the Europa League final.

Caixinha’s squad travelled to Luxembourg for the first qualifying-round game with a 1-0 lead after European football returned to Ibrox last week following a six-year hiatus.

The Portuguese coach is looking for a more aggressive performance from his side and he left them in no doubt he wants them to go for victory at the Stade Josy Barthel.

Caixinha told Rangers TV: “You need to get on this game like it is a final – you are drawing the game and the team that wins, wins the trophy. That is the way we need to think about it.

“We know what to expect now and we think they are going to behave the same way. Most of the time you put on an opponent’s mind in order to see what they are going to do and how they are going to perform in order to organise the game, and I think they are going to do the same.

“That was the point to which we worked, knowing what to expect, and we have worked on going a little bit more out to occupy spaces, explore spaces and be better in the last third.

“We need to do exactly the same, and with those points in consideration, we need to play quickly and we need to be more aggressive on our offensive style.”

“We are leading the game and we are not worried about the away goal. We are just worried about developing our process.”

Rangers travelled without Barrie McKay, who is in their Europa League squad but has been training with the under-20s amid reports linking Nottingham Forest and Cardiff with potential moves for the winger, who has a year left on his contract.

Mexican signings Carlos Pena and Eduardo Herrera were in the 20-man party after failing to make the bench for the first leg and Caixinha revealed one of them would be on the bench.

Pedro Caixinha: wants better in the final third.