Ben Guest
Steven Gerrard has said that Rangers’ next Europa League fixture against Villarreal is now ‘even bigger’ and ‘more exciting’ following tonight’s defeat to Spartak Moscow.
Rangers went into this evening’s Europa League clash sitting at the at the top of Group G, but slipped down to third after they lost 4-3 in a topsy-turvy game in the Russian capital.
The Glaswegian side took the lead three times in the first half, but their miserable defensive performance saw them concede two goals in two second-half minutes and overtaken in the Group table by the Russians thanks to their head-to-head record.
Next up for Rangers is group leaders Villarreal at Ibrox on November 29, and manager Steven Gerrard has said that this evening’s result on ramps up the pressure on that game.
“It is still wide-open and it will go to the wire which is what we predicted at the beginning. Villarreal becomes even bigger now and more exciting,” Gerrard said in his post-match press conference.
“But we were under no-illusions before the game – we knew it was going to go to the wire anyway but tonight’s result makes the challenge a bit more difficult.”
Rangers secured a 3-3 draw at El Madrigal on matchday one, but a failure to get a result in matchday five could see the Scottish giants dumped out with one game still to play.