Gers back to Portugal after drawing Braga

Stewart welcomes last-32 clash after beating double champions Porto

Rangers forward Greg Stewart has welcomed the Europa League last-32 draw as an “excellent” outcome after his side were paired with Braga.

The Ibrox club will return to Portugal in February after drawing there against Porto in October and beating the double European champions at home last month.

Braga – who lost to Porto in the 2011 final – have been impressive in Europe this season, topping their group ahead of Wolves with four wins and two draws after beating both Brondby and Spartak Moscow home and away in the qualifiers.

But they sit seven places behind Porto in ninth spot in the Portuguese league and former Cowdenbeath and Dundee attacker Stewart is confident Rangers can get to the last 16.

He said: “I think it’s an excellent draw for us. Every game is going to be difficult, you look at the big English teams as well and we thought we might get drawn against one of them.

“But it’s a game we feel we can definitely win over two legs.

“Our performances in Europe have been top drawer. We were unlucky not to top the group and were kicking ourselves a bit, but the bigger picture before the group started, getting through was the main objective.

“We have played against a Portuguese team and Porto are probably a Champions League team, so we will be feeling confident.”

Stewart and the rest of the Rangers squad watched the draw while eating their training-ground Christmas dinner, and reactions were varied.

“There was a bit of a mixed bag,” he said. “Some boys wanted the bigger teams because you want to play against them and test yourself.

“But every game is going to be tough. We will take lots of confidence from how we have performed in Europe this season.”

Stewart was speaking as he and his team-mates visited patients at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow and delivered a £10,000 donation from the Rangers Charity Foundation.

Rangers legend Paul Gascoigne meanwhile believes Gers boss Steven Gerrard must win the head-to-head series of games against Celtic if the Light Blues are to stop the Hoops from clinching the Premiership title for a ninth season in a row.

The former England international was a guest at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year at P&J Live on Sunday and he knows from experience how important the Old Firm matches are in shaping the destination of the title.

He said: “Hopefully, Rangers can win it but it is so tight. It will all come down to the four Old Firm games.

“Rangers won the game against Motherwell at the weekend but they will have to keep going.

“It is going to be tight to the end again. They have to try and stop Celtic going for nine-in-a-row and it will be a tough run in.”

Gascoigne’s visit to Aberdeen brought back some happy memories from his time in Scottish football but he knows he may not be too popular in the Granite City due to his past exploits against the Dons.

He said: “I got a hat-trick against Aberdeen and I think all in I scored five goals against them. I don’t know if I am that well liked up here but it is good to see Derek McInnes do well. He is a former team-mate and a great guy.”

Picture: SNS. Rangers forward Greg Stewart has welcomed the draw as an “excellent” outcome.