Steven Gerrard’s biggest achievement as Rangers manager wasn’t winning the league, it was how he transformed the club from a laughing stock to one of the best performing in Europe.
The home record in European competitions is as good as any across the continent with just three defeats in over 30 games – two of those coming against the same manager in Peter Bosz, with the other being when down to nine men.
A look at UEFA’s statistics tells its own story and Rangers, despite the odd blip, are one of the teams that others in Europe want to avoid when draws are made, as tables provided via @fotcalc prove.
Rangers continue to carry Scotland in Europe
Porto, Benfica, RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund, Real Betis, Villareal, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven to name but a few, clubs from big leagues with bigger resources who all failed to win at Ibrox.
Rangers are sitting 29th in UEFA’s club coefficient list of all the clubs in Europe, and that doesn’t happen by fluke.
AC Milan, Sporting Lisbon, PSV Eindhoven, Lazio and Lyon, teams that all sit below Rangers in terms of recent European performance.
Looking at individual coefficient points won in terms of percentage for the association, Rangers are, again, one of the best performing in Europe.
A statistic that puts beyond doubt any claims against the high coefficient ranking for the SPFL being down, mainly, to Rangers recent success, particularly in the Europa League.
For the five years from 2018/2019, Rangers sit sixth in the table above teams like Liverpool and Real Madridbut, if you include this current season, we rise to fourth.
Scottish football might not want to accept it, but it is due Steven Gerrard and his successors a huge thanks.
What has been sore to take is that all this effort has seen Celtic benefit and swell their coffers.
Our refusal to strengthen after winning 55 has cost us dearly by conceding the last two league titles, this year doesn’t look much better either but Philippe Clement at least appears as though he could close the gap.
What he has also shown, is that he knows how to set up a team and two positive results against good opposition in Sparta Prague suggests that our place amongst the elite is only going to be strengthened under his command.
Continuing at Ibrox tomorrow night against Aris Limassol.
