Gio sends out an SOS for Europa League bid
Giovanni van Bronckhorst has issued a plea for SPFL support in Rangers’ bid for European glory.
The Light Blues, who had a fixture pile-up row with the authorities when they reached the UEFA Cup showpiece in 2008, have fought their way through to the Europa League semi-finals.
Having accounted for Borussia Dortmund, Red Star Belgrade and Braga, they will now take on the Bundesliga’s form team, RB Leipzig.
To allow their players to be best prepared for the first leg in Germany on Thursday week, the Ibrox club have now asked the SPFL for their match at Motherwell to be brought forward to Saturday.
That is now under consideration by the Fir Park board.
The Germans, who play Union Berlin on Saturday, already have an extra day to prepare for the last-four showdown.
The situation does not end there, either, with Rangers potentially facing a huge make-or-break Old Firm derby before they entertain Leipzig in the Ibrox return.
That is scheduled for Sunday, May 1 at Celtic Park.
Van Bronckhorst is all too aware of the problems his team could face.
In 2008, the club were infamously forced to play four games in eight days after losing to Zenit St Petersburg, having played three games in seven days in the build-up to Manchester.
“You see in other countries when games are moved to different dates, or kick-off times are changed,” said the Dutchman.
“I think we just want to do the best for Scotland. We are still involved in Europe, getting a lot of coefficient points for everyone.
“Hopefully, the SPFL will also help us to perform as well as possible in Europe.
“But also make sure we have time to rest enough before playing the games in Scotland.
“Of course, we can have the request (to the authorities). That’s what we are doing at the moment. In the end, the SPFL has to agree, and make sure the fixtures are moved.
“We will do everything we can to do so, but in the end the final call is theirs.
“So the only thing that can happen is that they agree, and that’s the point we are all waiting for.”
The Rangers manager insisted he had no fears that Connor Goldson’s contract situation would impact on the defender’s form in the coming weeks and months.
The Englishman, who will go into today’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic in form, is due to reach the end of his current deal at the end of the season, and has stalled on signing an extension.
“I’ve never experienced in my coaching career when a player is out of contract that it will affect them,” said van Bronckhorst.
“It’s a circumstance that happens a lot in football. Players are out of contract.
“Connor is handling it really well. He’s performing well, and doesn’t have a negative influence on him.
“It doesn’t have a negative influence on me, either. It’s the way things happen in football. You have to perform no matter what, especially at a club the size of Rangers.
“He’s been doing that, and we all keep doing what we have to do – that’s winning games and making sure we do everything to get success to this club.”
Van Bronckhorst, meanwhile, is clear on what will be required today if they are to reverse the result of the last Old Firm derby, won by Celtic at Ibrox.
“Of course, you do not want to make so many mistakes in games,” he said.
“In the game two weeks ago, we started really well before conceding two. We have to defend better as a team, and not concede.
“In the second half, I think we were pushing hard for the equaliser, and had a lot of chances. We just have to be more clinical in those moments, and put in an overall good display over 90 minutes – or longer if needed.
“It is a big game, and that requires a big performance. Tough games are always close, and we have to make sure we will be winning this time.”