DRAW IS BEST BAYER NONE
FROM BACK PAGE the hat in Nyon yesterday alongside the Bundesliga cracks, with the first leg at Ibrox on Thursday March 12 before the return in the 30,000-capacity BayArena seven days later.
Gerrard, who takes his side to Hearts for tonight’s Scottish Cup quarter-final clash, admits it’s a daunting draw with Bayer Leverkusen on six-game winning streak in all competitions and just six points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.
Peter Bosz’s side beat Rangers’ Europa League group rivals Porto 5-2 on aggregate in the last 32 to set up the meeting with the Ibrox side.
Rangers defeated the Germans 3-2 on aggregate under Dick Advocaat in the UEFA Cup second round in 1998 and Gerrard has had mixed fortunes in two meetings with Bayer Leverkusen.
The Bundesliga outfit defeated his Liverpool side on their way to the Champions League Final at Hampden in 2002 before the Rangers gaffer’s Reds side got revenge three years later on the run that saw them lift the trophy in the ‘Miracle of Istanbul’.
Only Manchester United, Inter Milan, Wolves and Sevilla are shorter odds to win the competition in Gdansk on May 27 and Gerrard said: “It’s one of the toughest ties we could have got.
“They are one of the favourites because of the way they’ve just gone and dealt with Porto. They deserve to be one of the favourites.
“It’s exciting but it’s also going to be very tough. I know the stadium, it’s a fantastic venue, I have played there before.
“It’s really close to the pitch and it’s an exciting place to go and play football.
“The atmosphere is electric there, it’s not a huge stadium, if I’m guessing it’s around 30,000.
“But the fans are all around the ground, very close to the pitch, and it will be a good challenge for the players.
“My own experience from playing German teams and German players is that it was always very tough. They are big, strong physical athletes. Tactically they are very astute.”
Gerrard – who could have Jermain Defoe available tonight and has defender Filip Helander closing in on a return – doesn’t believe he’ll have a shortage of volunteers to take Rangers’ next penalty despite his players missing four out of their last five spot-kicks.
Ianis Hagi was the latest to fail after his effort in Braga was superbly saved but Gerrard said: “We’ll try to find a solution.
“Penalties are one where players have to take ownership really. We’ve tried different solutions and, right now where we stand, those solutions haven’t worked.
“But when the next one comes around I’m sure we’ll have a willing penalty taker that is brave enough to stand up and take that opportunity.”
Gerrard has also challenged George Edmundson to kick-on from his man-of-thematch display in Braga.
He said: “George certainly deserved the opportunity against Braga and he was outstanding.
“The challenge for George now is can he wipe the slate clean and go into Hearts with exactly the same mentality?
“He deserves to keep his place for sure. If he can keep his form close to what it was the other night then it will be his shirt to lose.”