Fenerbahce were the victors in normal time – by the two-goal margin they required as Stefan Szymanski netted either side of the half-time interval – but it was the Light Blues who held their nerve in the shootout, with Jack Butland the hero, to book a last eight meeting against Athletic Club next month.

In doing so, the Gers’ magical run in this competition extends, ushering in a second quarter-final appearance in the last four campaigns for the Ibrox side.

From the first leg triumph in Istanbul, Ferguson named two changes with Dujon Sterling and Leon Balogun coming into the lineup in place of Ridvan and Robin Propper.

The story of last week’s commanding display in the Turkish capital was Rangers’ capacity to spring forward quickly on the counter-attack, spearheaded by the guile of Vaclav Cerny and Cyriel Dessers at the top end of the pitch.

Buoyed by a raucous Ibrox crowd, Rangers began on the front foot and immediately asked questions of the Turkish visitors when Nico Raskin latched onto a slipped through pass from Mohamed Diomande and forced Fenerbahce into a desperate clearing of their lines.

The threat of Cerny in open spaces ought to have been the centre of Jose Mourinho’s post-mortem from the first leg seven days ago, and the Czech winger was among the action on 12 minutes when he had a strike from range deflected into the grateful arms of Irfan Can Egribayat.

Fenerbahce’s attacking threat had been minimal in the opening exchanges and they were counting their fortune down the opposite end when Connor Barron snapped into a challenge high up the pitch, fed the dangerous Cerny and the 27-year-old’s arrowed effort flashed only inches wide.

Indeed, much of the endeavour from the visitors came from the dugout after Talisca, introduced in place of Edin Dzeko’s from last week’s opening stanza, was booked for simulation. Mourinho and the Fenerbahce bench immediately surrounded the fourth official in frustration.

Ibrox broke into a minute’s applause on the 40th minute mark to honour lifelong supporter, Christopher Potter, who sadly passed away in Istanbul ahead of the first leg last week.

Jack Butland had virtually been a spectator for most of the first half, but he was picking the ball out of his net moments before the interval when a hopeful delivery from Filip Kostic deflected wickedly into the vicinity of Sebastian Szymanski in the danger area and the Polish midfielder, unmarked, hooked a first-time volley beyond the Gers goalkeeper.

It was an inopportune time for the Light Blues to concede and meant that, despite Fenerbahce’s attacking struggles, they were right back in this tie.

The half-time interval, then, came at a good time for Ferguson’s charges, and they had the first half-decent opportunity of the second period when Souttar met a James Tavernier corner but was unable to generate the required power to trouble the Fenerbahce goalkeeper.

Still, the away side were hardly cutting through the Gers at will, resorting to a cluster of hopeful crosses and hoping that one would fall their way to haul themselves back level on aggregate in the tie.

That route to goal almost engineered a second goal of the evening for Mourinho’s men when Kostic, the architect of the opener, delivered a sumptuous cross onto the forehead of Talisca who rose highest to nod only inches wide of the target.

John Souttar spoke in midweek about his using the Ibrox crowd for energy in the latter stages and the crowd were on their feet as Rangers enjoyed their best spell in the second period.

Firstly, Tavernier produced a piece of enterprising play down the right-hand side before squaring to Cerny who hooked a right-footed effort dangerously across the face of goal.

Then, following a stern tackle from Raskin in midfield to steal possession, substitute Hamza Igamane worked some space and drew a smart diving stop from Irfan Can Egribayat.

However, the away side struck to level the tie with 18 minutes remaining when Mert Mulder got the better of Jefte in an advanced area on the right-hand side and picked out the run of Szymanski in the penalty area who poked home his second goal of the evening.

Almost immediately, Mourinho introduced the duo Edin Dzeko and Dusan Tadic, with the latter having a succession of long-range efforts which scarcely troubled Butland between the posts.

Opportunity then beckoned for the Light Blues with four minutes of regulation remaining as Barron received a pass from Nedim Bajrami in a dangerous pocket of space inside the Fenerbahce penalty area and almost found Ianis Hagi at full stretch in the penalty area.

Chances fell the way of both sides in the dying embers as Youssef En-Nesyri scooped over under pressure from Tavernier while Ridvan stung the palms of the visiting goalkeeper, but, on the sound of the referee’s full-time whistle, extra time beckoned.

The momentum was certainly with the visitors, yet Rangers almost struck the decisive blow nine minutes into extra time when Cerny shimmied inside and curled a sumptuous effort which required Irfan Can Egribayat to be at full stretch to tip round for a corner.

Dzeko had an effort blocked inside the penalty area as the action flowed from end-to-end, before the Bosnian forward did well to reach the byline and pull the ball dangerously across goal where there were, fortunately for Rangers, no takers in white.

A dipping free-kick from the captain on the edge of the penalty area almost brought Ibrox to its feet at the start of the second period of extra time, but Irfan Can Egribaya’s was down early to thwart the effort.

Both sides seemed content with a penalty shootout, with the sound of Espen Eskas’s whistle ushering in a penalty shootout to decide who would meet Athletic Club in the last eight.

Rangers won the toss and elected to shoot into the Copland Road Stand.

First up was Dusan Tadic who was denied by the feet of Butland. The Light Blues responded through the captain who dispatched confidently into the bottom corner.

Edin Dzeko then assumed responsibility for Fenerbahce and slammed home. Vaclav Cerny doing likewise to maintain Rangers’ advantage after two spot-kicks each.

Alexander Djiku was the third taker for the visitors and wrong-footed Butland to increase the pressure on Ianis Hagi, whose effort was saved onto the post.

Fred stepped forward and was thwarted by Butland, allowing Tom Lawrence to step forward and slam home down the middle to restore Rangers’ advantage.

It meant Mert Hakan Yandas had to score for Mourinho’s side. He duly proceeded to balloon his spot-kick over the crossbar and, with that, Rangers marched into the quarter-finals to a chorus of noise inside Ibrox.

RANGERS: Butland, Sterling (Ridvan, 55), Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun, Jefte (Hagi, 84), Raskin, Barron (Lawrence, 94), Diomande (Bajrami, 66), Cerny, Dessers (Igamane, 66)

Subs not used: Kelly, Propper, Nsiala, McCausland, Rice, Curtis, Danilo

FENERBAHCE: Irfan Can Egribaya, Mert Muldur (Djiku, 87), Skriniar, Akcicek, Kostic, Osayi-Samuel (Tadic, 73), Amrabat, Fred, Szymanski (Mert Hakan Yandas, 105), En-Nesyri (Irfan Can Kahveci, 105), Talisca (Dzeko, 73)

Subs not used: Livakovic, Ertugrul Cetin, Cenk Tosun, Sukur Tograk

REFEREE: Espen Eskås (NOR)