Super Eagles and Rangers striker, Cyriel Dessers, believes his side has what it takes to make a deep run in the UEFA Europa League this season, despite the challenges ahead.
The 30-year-old has been in fine form for the Gers, netting 18 goals across all competitions. His standout moment came at Old Trafford, where his stunning equalizer against Manchester United won Rangers’ Goal of the Month for January.
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Dessers, who previously led Feyenoord to the UEFA Europa Conference League final in 2022, is optimistic about Rangers’ European campaign. While the team has struggled domestically, he insists they can make a mark on the continental stage.
“We’re still competing in three competitions, and the confidence from our European games is huge,” Dessers told Rangers’ official website. “Reaching the top eight proves that something special is possible in the Europa League. We just need to keep going, take it one game at a time, and anything can happen.”
The Nigerian international believes Rangers have already shown they can compete with Europe’s elite.
“Against some very strong teams, we’ve proven we can hold our own. Sometimes, the style of football in the Europa League even suits us better. We saw that last season against teams like Benfica,” he added.
Rangers secured their place in the Europa League Round of 16 after edging out Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt on goal difference. Dessers believes their difficult group-stage journey is proof of their strength.
“If you look at the teams we faced, many of them also made it to the top eight. We had one of the toughest runs in the competition and still came through. That’s a massive achievement, and credit goes to the entire squad,” the former Cremonese striker stated.
Looking ahead, Dessers is confident that Rangers can challenge for the title if they maintain their belief and focus.
“The knockout phase has no easy games, but the deeper you go, the more every matchup becomes 50-50. Even against big clubs, anything is possible in a quarter-final or semi-final,” he concluded.
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Rangers, currently second in the Scottish Premiership and trailing Celtic by 13 points, will shift their focus to domestic silverware when they face Queen’s Park in the Scottish Cup tomorrow.
