Gers too strong for Legia and AIK fans forking out for Celts
Rangers will be too strong for Legia Warsaw in the Europa League, according to the Ibrox club’s former Polish midfielder, Dariusz Adamczuk.
Steven Gerrard’s side face the Poles for a place in the group stages after they cruised past FC Midtjylland in the third qualifying round.
And Adamczuk, who had a threeyear spell at Rangers from 1999 – making just 13 starts before being diagnosed with depression – believes the Scots have the beating of the Warsaw club.
Now sports director at Pogon Szczecin, Adamczuk said: “I make it 70-30 in favour of Rangers.
“They have a really good manager in Steven Gerrard, and got past FC Midtjylland in great style.
“I know they lost to Progres Niederkorn of Luxembourg a couple of years ago, but a lot has changed since.
“They were runners-up to Celtic in Scotland last season, but they have improved.
“It should be a great couple of matches, and the atmosphere at both games will be special.
“It would be good and important for Polish football if Legia qualify, but I don’t see it.
“My time at Rangers wasn’t as memorable as when I was at Dundee. I was a key player at Dens Park.
“But at Ibrox,t here was an incredibly strong midfield, and two great coaches in Dick Advocaat and Alex Mcleish.
“There were players like Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Claudio Reyna, Arthur Numan, Sergio Porrini, Stefan Klos and Jorg Albertz, who I still keep in touch with.
“I needed to play regularly there, not once every four matches, and there was no reserve team. But I still won a Scottish title and two Cups.
“However, my decision to pick Rangers as the winners of this tie is not based on sentimentality.”
Rangers are in Warsaw on Thursday. Meanwhile, Celtic’s Europa League opponents, AIK Stockholm, are thrilled after a ticket rush saw more than 17,000 of their fans snap up tickets in just one day for their showdown with the Hoops on August 29.
And they are aiming for a bumper crowd of at least 40,000 for the return leg of their play-off.
The Swedes feared they may have had to close a stand in the Friends Arena after a dispute with police, and the possibility of sanctions from UEFA, following incidents at their Champions League qualifier against Maribor last month.
But they have started to sell tickets for that North Stand, too, and admit they have been left amazed at the level of interest from their fans.
AIK boss Rikard Norling said: “Our supporters are really brilliant. They are so passionate and there is going to be an incredible atmosphere when Celtic visit.”
The club’s ticket manager Fredrik Söderberg added: “The way the ticket sales are going, we will be opening the top deck of the stadium, too.”