AVOID BARCA? NOU WAY GERS
Ex-boss Coisty dreaming of return to face Catalan kings
ALLY McCOIST has told UEFA to bring on the Barca as he insists Rangers won’t fear a return to the Nou Camp.
The Ibrox legend was No.2 to Walter Smith the one and only time Gers travelled to Spain to face the Catalan kings back in 2007.
But they could be set for a February reunion if they are pulled out of the hat alongside the Blaugrana in Monday’s draw for the Europa League play-offs.
Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Porto, Sevilla, Sheriff Tiraspol and Zenit St Petersburg are the other potential opponents awaiting Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team.
But former boss McCoist is dreaming of a glamour showdown with the five-time Champions League winners after seeing the Light Blues’ new Dutch boss maintain his unbeaten start to life at Ibrox with a decent draw in their final group game away to Lyon.
Gers took a late first-half lead thanks to Scott Wright’s deflected opener but the Scottish champions were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw after Calvin Bassey fired into his own net three minutes after the break.
McCoist said: “I would take Barcelona.
“What a tie for Rangers, what a tie for the supporters. It would be fantastic.
“Rangers did not deserve to lose that game. It has been fantastic and a real bonus to have qualified before the game tonight. It is important.
“You want to go through and maintain that unbeaten run for Giovanni.”
Frank Rijkaard was in charge of a star-studded Barcelona side the last
time the sides faced off. Smith’s men were able to shut out a stellar line-up including Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry at Ibrox as they held on for a gritty 0-0 draw. But Henry and Messi did the damage in the return clash at the Nou Camp.
New boss Xavi played in both games but he does not have anything close to the talent he played alongside in his pomp available at his disposal these days.
And former Gers midfielder Derek McInnes believes van Bronckhorst – a former Barca star himself – would not fear a return to Spain or a clash against any of the other teams Gers could come up against.
And the ex-Aberdeen boss said: “I think for the supporters it would be exciting to get most of these teams in the draw.
“Barcelona is the stand-out game but Rangers have earned the right to be in that company as they have gone through the group stage pretty comfortably.”
Gers had already booked qualification thanks to last month’s win over Sparta Prague and the trip to the Groupama Stadium gave van Bronckhorst the chance to take a closer
look at some of his fringe men. And McCoist is certain the new manager will have been pleased with what he saw.
McCoist said: “They will be delighted with the result and hopefully no injuries as well.
“It was a great goal to kick proceedings off for Rangers.
“A great ball from Ryan Kent, Glen Kamara does ever so well and cuts it back to Scott Wright who held his position well.
“Of course he gets a bit of luck with the deflection but it is a reasonable effort. “I wanted Scott to have more shots at goal and take more part in forward areas.
“Kamara and Kent link up well, good strike and lucky with the deflection. But you take it.”
But Wright was gutted his lucky break wasn’t enough to seal another famous Lyon away day.
Barcelona is the stand-out game but Gers have earned right to be in that company DEREK McINNES
He said: “It is a tough place to come. We wanted to be brave on the ball and control the game as much as we could.
“For my goal, I saw it building up on the left-hand side, took up a position on the edge of the box and Glen has done great to chop it back. He’s done even better to find me and pick me out.
“I took a touch and hit a shot. It’s taken a deflection but gone in. I’m delighted but I just wish it could’ve been the winning goal.”