Rangers all set for crucial Champions League return with Valencia

Posted Friday, October 22, 2010 by theguardian.com

Rangers all set for crucial Champions League return with Valencia
Allan McGregor of Rangers would happily accept a draw in the return with Valencia at the Mestalla on 2 November.

Even if Rangers' sense of disappointment from last night's Champions League draw with Valencia is justified, the Scottish champions can hardly afford to let such sentiment linger. After all, the first Old Firm match of the season is now only days away.

Rangers, who travel to Celtic on Sunday, felt rightly that they should have defeated the La Liga side at Ibrox, where their squandered chances were the key feature of a 1-1 draw. Allan McGregor, the Rangers goalkeeper, went so far as to claim disbelief that three points were not collected. "We were disappointed not to win," he said. "I couldn't believe we didn't after the amount of good chances we created, and nobody could have complained if we had come out on top.

"Their goalkeeper played really well but we felt we should have scored a couple more, and it was tough on us that we didn't. I thought after the first 15 minutes that we were really, really good and while Valencia had a couple of chances near the end, there was nothing major. We had five, six or seven really good opportunities to add to our tally and that's why we were so disappointed not to take three points."

Rangers still sit in a favourable position, and one few thought likely when Group C was drawn, as the second-placed team behind Manchester United. Rangers' visit to the Mestalla on 2 November appears crucial to any aspirations of qualification for the last 16. "We could have been in an even better position than we are in at the moment, but the fact is that we're not," McGregor added. "That's something we need to face up to and accept, and now we need to go to Valencia and try to play the way we have been.

"I'd take a draw against them again right now and while we know it's going to be hard, we'll be aiming to take something."

Rangers also earned praise from Valencia's Manuel Fernandes, who feels the two clubs are involved in a genuine battle to reach the knockout phase. "It's between us and Rangers for second place now," the former Everton midfielder said. "Manchester United are already ahead and they now have another game against Bursaspor. We have four points, Rangers have five and I think only one of us will qualify now.

"People have asked me if I was surprised by Rangers, but I honestly was not. Our game wasn't a draw because we played poorly. It was a draw because Rangers played well."