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RANGERS arrived in Warsaw this evening ahead of tomorrow’s Europa League play-off tie with Legia, and boss Steven Gerrard has ‘confidence’ his team can grab a priceless away goal if they show what they’re capable of.
The Light Blues reached this final qualifying round with an impressive 7-3 triumph over Danish outfit Midtjylland, and Gerrard wants to see a repeat of that here in the Polish capital tomorrow.
The manager wasn’t keen, however, on comparing tomorrow’s match with previous Europa League qualifiers he has faced, and reckons the tie will still be very-much alive for next week’s second leg at Ibrox.
Speaking at the Polish Army Stadium, Gerrard said: “Legia are very-well organised, and they don’t concede many goals. I think the key tomorrow is to try and find our level and try to reach the performances that we did in the last tie against Midtjylland, and if we do, I have confidence we will find the breakthrough.
“I believe Legia will come and be aggressive tomorrow and try to press us high, certainly in the early stages, so, while we will have to handle that, cope, and be able to handle the ball under pressure, that should give us opportunities to go and strike in the space behind.
“I think it is very difficult to gauge and compare this test to previous tests since I have come into the club, i.e. comparing Legia to Maribor or to Ufa or to Osijek.
“We have two good teams fighting for the same prize. I have big belief and I back my players to deliver.
“I think my experience of this team is when the challenge gets tough, they stand up and the hostility here in Legia will bring the best out of my team and I have every confidence we can get the result we need.
The manager also gave a squad update tonight, adding: “We have no fitness concerns. Greg Stewart has a bad kick on his calf, so he is unable but he was named in the 22.”