Gerrard refuses to use Astroturf pitch as excuse ahead of Young Boys clash

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard insists he will not use the artificial surface at the Stade de Suisse Wankdorf as an excuse when his side take on Young Boys.

The Light Blues face the Swiss champions in their second Europa League group game tonight looking to follow up their opening home win against Feyenoord with another positive result.

Young Boys’ home advantage will be keenly felt, with Rangers opting not to take up their ticket allocation for the game, while the visitors will also have to cope with playing on an artificial pitch.

The Ibrox side have had plenty of experience of playing on such surfaces in Scotland and Gerrard believes his players will cope again .

He said: “Astroturf pitches are Astroturf pitches, you’ve just got to get on with it. We don’t want to use it as an excuse. Of course they’ll have an advantage, being at home with all the fans in the stadium and being a lot more used to the pitch than us. But we do get enough games to be able to cope on Astroturf pitches.”

Gerrard is keen to build on Rangers’ winning start to Group G but knows tonight’s clash will pose different challenges to their home encounter with Feyenoord a fortnight ago.

He added: “A clean sheet and a win against a good team was the perfect start for us but it’s important we try and build on all that hard work.

“Now we’re away from home, it’ll be a different atmosphere, a different environment with no fans here and on a difficult pitch.

“The challenge is different this time around so we are coming here to try and win the game and do everything we can to do that, but it is important that we take something away from this fixture and try and build on the three points we started with.”

Young Boys boss Gerardo Seoane is wary of the counter-attacking threat posed by Gerrard’s side and hopes to starve them of chances to break quickly.

Seoane sees counter-attacking as one of Rangers’ strengths and is determined to hold on to the ball in a bid to prevent rapid breaks from their visitors.

Speaking via a translator at a prematch press conference streamed on the club’s Youtube channel, Seoane said: “Rangers are very good at counter-attacking.

“We will have to keep the ball well not to give the Rangers strikers the opportunity to counter-attack as fast as they can.”

Seoane, who faces a lengthy injury list, believes being at home is an advantage, but does not think that factor alone is enough for them to win the game.

He added: “Of course it is usually an advantage to play at home, and Rangers are not that accustomed to playing on artificial pitches.

“And for Young Boys it’s certainly not a disadvantage to play on artificial turf tomorrow.

“But there are other things tomorrow that will be important to win the game

“I was impressed by both teams in Rangers versus Feyenoord – but I think it will be different tomorrow since Rangers are playing away.”