European Football

Venue: Ibrox                                                                 Date: 12/12/24                                                 Time: 20:00 GMT   It is their biggest game in Europe this season but an in-form Rangers will feel the stars have aligned to get a result as they welcome a downcast Tottenham to Ibrox. Both sides look to be on converse trajectories with the hosts now undefeated in eight games. Philippe Clement seems to have navigated his side through a turbulent period which saw them fall to Kilmarnock and Aberdeen, results which are likely to have put the title out of reach. Meanwhile Ange Postecoglou’s time at Tottenham plunged to its lowest depth so far, watching his side snatch defeat from the jaws of victory against Chelsea at the weekend, having confronted a fan for abusing him just a week prior. With both teams sat in eighth and ninth, Rangers ahead by a mere two goals, a result would put either side in pole position for an automatic place. More importantly for the respective managers however, progression to the knockout stages would relieve some of the intense scrutiny surrounding their jobs. European pedigree For all of their domestic woes, winning a solitary Premiership title in thirteen years, Rangers have always found a way to exceed expectations in Europe’s secondary competition. A run to the 2021/22 final was as big a surprise as the scalps they took along the way with Borussia Dortmund, Braga and RB Leipzig all falling before an agonising Aaron Ramsey penalty proved the difference that saw Eintracht Frankfurt snatch the crown. The less said about the Champions League campaign that followed the better. However last season saw Rangers return to the competition that is becoming their bread and butter to complete a double over Real Betis and topping their group before a narrow defeat to Benfica saw them eliminated in the Round of sixteen. There is a noticeable difference in the freedom with which they play away from the burning eyes of Scottish football fans. Whatever the reason, they have managed some impressive victories again this season with Malmo, FCSB and Nice comfortable dispatched with a creditable draw against Conference League champions Olympiakos to boot. Having seemingly put their 4-1 Lyon hiding behind them, Rangers will need all of their experience in the competition to gain an important result, with Manchester United and Union Saint-Gilloise as positions ‘fourth’ through ‘thirteenth’ remain separated by a mere three points. Will the real Tottenham please stand up? The nickname ‘Spursy’ to describe the way the club seem to fall apart under little pressure is arguably a disrespectful one to give a club that continues to find itself in the upper echelons of the Premier League. Yet, it has stuck for a reason. As the jabs and taunts go, Tottenham will produce a masterclass against league leaders only to follow it up with dropped points to eternal strugglers. Having tormented Manchester City in a hugely impressive 4-0 win away from home, the North London side mustered joint one point from nine as they sit just off mid-table. Losses to Ipswich, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth have continue to stunt their season with the manager’s dogmatic approach to attacking football held responsible for the side’s inconsistency. The third highest scoring team in the league this season, Tottenham’s inability to apply to handbrake has been just as much a problem in England as it has been in Europe. Opposition had hardly been world beating when they opened their group stage campaign with wins against Qarabag, Ferencvaros and Troy Parrott’s AZ Alkmaar, but a defeat to Galatasaray and draw with Roma has put a dent in their hopes for automatic qualification. With the continued absence of Guglielmo Vicario, their defence looks even more precarious. Add in defender Cristian Romero criticising the lack of spending in the summer in a now deleted interview with Telemundo Deportes to add fuel to the fire. For all the optimism the disharmony might bring to fans north of the border, Tottenham have a squad packed with some of Europe’s best in Son Heung-min, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. As both Manchester clubs will know by now, these players can inflict a world of damage on their day.