RANGERS are in the box seat when it comes to the battle between them and Fenerbahce – and should they progress they could also benefit from a game changing advantage in their bid to reach the semi-finals.
That’s because a new Uefa rule governing the Europa League knockout stages is poised to come into play for the first time.
Jose Mourinho and Barry Ferguson[/caption]
Roma’s Bryan Cristante in action during the 2-1 win over Athletic Club[/caption]
Should they make good on that 3-1 advantage from the first game, we know that Rangers will face either Roma or Athletic Bilbao in the next match.
While Bilbao shouldn’t be discounted just yet, not least as they’ve got a heavyweight squad and are desperate to make it back to their own stadium for the final – Roma lead 2-1 from the first match in the Italian capital.
And there’s a fair chance that both they and their city rivals reach the last eight of the competition – with Lazio securing a 2-1 away win over Viktoria Plzen with just NINE men courtesy of a stunning 98th minute winner by Celtic target Gustav Isaksen.
And should two teams from Rome both make it into the quarter finals – Uefa is forced to flip the fixtures around to stop the two sides playing in the same city in the same day.
And that would mean Rangers being handed the game-changing advantage of hosting the SECOND LEG at Ibrox, as opposed to the first as would originally have been the case.
New Uefa rules mean that in the event of a city tiebreaker such as this, the team which finishes lowest in the Europa League standings finds their fixture rescheduled – and that means Claudio Ranieri‘s Roma giving way.
Portuguese managerial legend Jose Mourinho and his Fenerbahce side are up against it after a poor first leg which the Gers brutally exploited.
But typically Mourinho came out fighting, saying the 3-1 defeat was a GOOD result for his side given how many chances the Ibrox men had on the night.
He also warned them against over-celebrating as he predicts a huge second match to come at Ibrox in a week’s time.
He said: “The only thing I would tell them is don’t celebrate too much, because there is a second match to play.
“It’s my only advice.
“At the end of the second match they celebrate I will congratulate them, but now calm down. Because, it’s not over.”
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