Report: Rangers Celebrate 150 Years With A Win Over Real Madrid

RANGERS claimed a notable victory in their final pre-season fixture at Ibrox tonight, deservedly defeating the multi-talented and expensively assembled Real Madrid 2-1.

This really was a super performance from the Light Blues, and Los Blancos provided fantastic opposition in this game to mark 150 years of Rangers Football Club.

For years, Gers fans the world over have been desperate to see their team take on Real Madrid, and their wish was granted tonight on a stunningly warm summer’s evening in Govan.

Indeed, this was the first meeting of the two sides since the 1963 European Cup, and who knows, if the Light Blues fulfil their aim of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League group stage, they may meet again for real later in the season.

The occasion on the park too was matched off it, with the capacity of Ibrox increasing again for today’s game, and a super atmosphere created inside the famous old place by those lucky enough to be in attendance.

Boss Steven Gerrard was able to name Fil Helander in his starting XI today following his return from the Euros, and he joined Connor Goldson, James Tavernier and Borna Barisic in a back four with Allan McGregor in nets behind them.

Steven Davis and John Lundstram were the two deep-lying midfielders, with Scott Wright, Ianis Hagi, and Ryan Kent supporting Fashion Sakala up front.

The Madrid team, while still missing some of those involved in the summer international tournaments, was packed with millions of pounds of talent including the likes of Marcelo, Luka Jovic Rodrygo, Martin Odegaard and Isco.

It was Rangers who stated the brighter, playing with plenty of verve and vigour, and they could have been a goal up inside two minutes, John Lundstram made the run beyond the front three to pull a ball back for Sakala, and he very nearly turned the ball home for a dream start to life in Glasgow.

Sakala then flashed a drive across the face of goal, but it was Madrid who hit the front on eight minutes.

Odegaard charged through the middle and found Rodrygo to his left. The Brazilian showed super skill to work his way into the area, and from an acute angle, found the bottom far corner to beat Allan McGregor.

Rangers responded well – Goldson having a header from a Tavernier free-kick blocked on the line, before in the same passage of play, goalkeeper Andreii Lunin saved superbly at his front post with his foot to deny Kent.

The home side were playing some super stuff on the supreme, new Ibrox pitch, and Sakala came close again with a header on a Tavernier cross, before brilliant play from Wright fed the Zambian to see another effort deflected behind for a corner.

Wright then broke again, and fed Sakala who couldn’t finish, and the ball dropped for Kent at the back post, but under pressure, his effort came back off the crossbar with Los Blancos again living dangerously.

Hagi then brought another good save out of Lunin with a 25-yard free-kick which was certainly on-target, before the goalkeeper made a wonderful double stop firstly from a fierce Kent blast from distance, and then from a Lundstram piledriver which the new signing caught just inside the area.

Sergio Arribas could have made it 2-0 to the visitors early in the second half with a header, but on (probably fittingly) 55 minutes, Fashion Sakala arrived as a Ranger.

Classic harrying from Glen Kamara saw him win the ball high up the park from Lucas Vazquez to feed Sakala, and while it looked like he was going to be forced just too wide, he lashed the ball into the back of the net and certainly enjoyed the moment with his teammates and fans.

Sub Cedric Itten came close but was denied by Lunin as Gers looked for a second, while Miguel Gutierrez hit a post for Madrid at the other end.

Madrid were reduced to 10 men on 75 minutes – Nacho picking up a second a yellow card for a high tackle on Kamara, and Gers took full advantage.

After initially clearing a Jordan Jones corner, Steven Davis lofted the ball back into the area where Madrid didn’t deal with it properly, and there to improvise and brilliantly turn the ball into the back of the net was Cedric Itten.

It was a fine moment for the Swiss who took the chance to milk the acclaim of the thrilled Rangers supporters in the Copland, with the bears clearly excited by what they had seen from their team this afternoon.

That proved to be the winner for Gers and a fine way to cap a memorable evening for the terrific crowd as they departed off into the warm Glasgow night optimistic about the real stuff which starts against Livingston on Saturday.

RANGERS: McGregor, Tavernier (c) (Jones, 72), Goldson (Balogun, 85), Helander (Simpson, 45), Barisic (Bassey, 61), Davis (Kelly, 85), Lundstram (Arfield, 45), Wright (Kamara, 45), Hagi (Patterson, 61), Kent (Middleton, 61) Sakala (Itten, 61).

SUBS NOT USED: McCrorie.

REAL MADRID CF: Lunin, Nacho, Marcelo, Vazquez (Marvin, 61), Jovic (Arribas, 45), Odriozola, Odegaard (Morante, 61), Isco, Rodrygo, Chust (Gila, 64), Blanco.

SUBS: Lopez, Fuidas, Gutierrez