RAPID BOSS IN EUROPA PITCH WARNING TO RANGERS

RAPID VIENNA boss Dietmar Kuhbauer has told Rangers to prepare for playing on an abysmal pitch on Thursday as he blasted his players and the surface ahead of the showdown with the Ibrox side. The Austrians face Steven Gerrard’s men this week in a do-or-die Europa League crunch clash in Vienna. But despite Rangers’ recent form slump, Steven Gerrard would have been encouraged by just how bad Rapid were last night as they laboured to a goalless draw at home with Sturm Graz. They managed just one shot on target and failed to win a single corner in a display which showed just how extremely limited they are in an attacking sense. But they were hardly helped by an atrocious pitch at the Allianz Stadium. An entire goalmouth has been relaid and the ball bobbled about for most of the game leading to misplaced passes, crosses being shanked out of play and shots being miscued. The result saw Rapid stay in eighth place in the Austrian Bundesliga — 25 points behind Celtic’s Europa League opponents this week Red Bull Salzburg, after just 17 league games. And Kuhbauer knows they will have to improve against the Ibrox side. ‘At this level of football we should not be discussing the state of the pitch, but we are and that tells you everything,’ he said. ‘Magic football is not possible on it, so mistakes happen that make the players look foolish. ‘There’s no pitch wizard in place who is going to be able to change it in time for the game against Rangers on Thursday, so we will just have to get on with it. ‘But yes, the pitch is a major disadvantage for us. Despite that, I am still really disappointed with the performance. We need to be much better against Rangers. ‘Attacking wise, we were really poor and created very little. Time after time we got into good positions, but took the wrong option. We have to be much better. ‘Rangers is a different game and it’s a different pressure because, of course, we only need the draw to qualify. ‘But we will be going all out for the win against a very good team.’ Rapid also suffered an injury blow with central defender Mario Sonnleitner limping off. The 32-year-old is a doubt for the Europa League clash.