Rangers united with Celtic after ‘massive’ development – pundit
Rangers are “flying the flag” for Scottish football in European competition and even Celtic fans will appreciate their “brilliant” achievement.
That is the view of former Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan, speaking exclusively to Football Insider as the Gers’ Europa League adventure continues.
A potential European semi-final against Leipzig or Atalanta awaits Rangers if they can overcome Braga over two legs – starting with the first game in Portugal on 7 April.
The Ibrox club have already dispatched Champions League winners Borussia Dortmund and Red Star Belgrade in the knockout stages.
The last time Rangers reached this stage they went all the way to the final but were eventually beaten by Zenit St Petersburg in the 2008 showpiece in Manchester.
Whelan claimed the run is “really exciting” for Scottish football.
“It would be brilliant if they can put Scotland back on the map on the European stage,” he told Football Insider‘s Ewan Kingsbury.
“I remember Leeds United playing Rangers in the UEFA Cup back in the day – they’re a massive club with real magnitude.
“To have them back and firing in Europe – whether you’re a fan of Rangers or Celtic, or even clubs like Dundee United – it’s great to see.
“They’re flying the flag for Scottish football and testing themselves against some of the best teams in the world. The Borussia Dortmund result, in particular, was fantastic.
“To get to the quarter-finals and know that they’ve got a real opportunity of going even further, that’s a really exciting thing for Scottish football.”
In the Scottish Premiership, Rangers trail Celtic by just three points at the summit of the table.
The Gers’ only European triumph came in the 1972 European Cup Winners’ Cup final against Dynamo Moscow.
In other news, we have a significant update on Ryan Kent’s future after Rangers board talks.