Interim boss Barry Ferguson insists it would be idiotic to think Rangers are through to the Europa League quarter-finals with the stunning 3-1 win over Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in Istanbul.
Ferguson changed the Gers shape to a back three for the first time in the first leg and it contributed to a remarkable performance.
Cyriel Dessers netted the opener, which was cancelled out by home substitute Alexander Djiku and the Nigeria international also had two goals ruled out for offside after the break but winger Vaclav Cerny scored a double to put the Light Blues in the box seat for the second leg at Ibrox next Thursday night.
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— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) March 6, 2025
“There’s no way that the tie is over,” said former Gers captain Ferguson, who revealed defender Robin Propper suffered a bit of concussion after he was headed by his own keeper Jack Butland, which meant he had to be replaced by Leon Balogun, but should be okay.
“It was a great result for us tonight but it’s only been a half-time. I have huge respect for Jose as a manager, as I mentioned earlier on he’s one of the best that’s ever been, and when you look at his team, he has got players that are really dangerous and can really affect games so there’s no way that we think we’re in the last eight.
“I would be an absolute idiot if I thought that because, as I said, I’ve got respect.
“I thought it was a really good performance from my team. They gave me everything that I asked for from the start of the week.
“We went a different way from what we’re used to playing. They took a lot of information in.
“One thing I’ve got to give them is credit because they took every single thing that me and my coaching staff went over on the training ground.
“I thought tonight, at times, going forward, they looked a real threat. I thought defensively, the guys put their bodies on the line. Overall, it was a brilliant result.
“I said that to the players. We’ll have a couple of days rest because they worked ever so hard tonight. Then we’ll get back to work because it’s a big game for us next Thursday.”
Mourinho claimed it was a good result for his side as Rangers should have won by more – but he also warned that the tie is not over.
The Portuguese boss said: “We were very bad everywhere. I think it’s not fair to say we were very bad in defence, because we were very bad everywhere.
“Maybe you laugh, but for me it was a good result, because the way we performed the result could be bigger than this.
“I know that Butland made three fantastic saves. I know that there is, I think, a penalty, but to speak about the referee after this performance, I don’t think it’s ethical.
“The chances we had to score we didn’t. The dynamic in midfield was not good. Defensively, we made incredible mistakes. We never controlled that.
“They defended a lot with the block very low, a good and dangerous counter-attack, so we deserve the punishment of this result. But if somebody later wants to ask me do I think it’s over, no, I don’t think it’s over. There is 90 or 120 minutes to play.
“It’s the only positive thing. And from this game, I don’t take any positives. Everything went wrong.
“The only thing I tell them is, don’t celebrate too much because there is a second match. It’s my only advice.”
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