Rangers TV pundit issues ‘big’ verdict after Champions League development
Alan Hutton fears Rangers will have a “a hard time” in the Champions League qualifiers.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the Rangers TV pundit claimed Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side failed to capitalise on the “big incentive” of automatic qualification last season.
Rangers confirmed (18 July) they have been drawn against Belgian top-flight side Union Saint-Gilloise for their upcoming qualifier.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side entered the third qualifying round of the competition after finishing second in the Scottish Premier League last season.
Hutton suggested it won’t be easy for Rangers to progress to the next round.
“It’s always a hard time to be honest because these qualifying games come round so quickly,” he told Football Insider.
“That was the big incentive about going straight into the Champions League that you could avoid all of it. Getting through this round will be difficult but then you’ve got the next play-off round which could have a bigger team.
“But you can only focus on what’s in front of you so they’ll have to prepare right, which I’m sure they’ve done. They’ve got some big pre-season games coming up which I think will get them into the right frame of mind to go into those Champions League qualifying games.
“So I think they’ll be there or thereabouts.“
In other news, Agbonlahor has claimed Kemar Roofe may be open to quitting Rangers after news – ‘I see him on the school run’.