Giovanni van Bronckhorst knows a thing or two about Rangers and the Europa League.
It was the Dutchman who helped guide the Ibrox club to the Europa League Final in Seville back in 2022 before suffering penalty kicks heartbreak.
Whilst it never ended how Giovanni van Bronckhorst would’ve wanted at Rangers, the former Ibrox midfielder was on punditry duties as Rangers stunned Fenerbahce in Istanbul.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst on ‘perfect’ Rangers v Fenerbahce
Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, Van Bronckhorst waxed lyrical about Rangers and claims the Ibrox side put in a ‘perfect performance’ in Turkey.
“Perfect, perfect performance,” said Van Bronckhorst when asked to sum up the Rangers display.
”I think you saw already in the first half they were playing really well, take their chances.
”Second half you know they just continued in that and they scored two times, it was offside two times, but you saw Fenerbahce giving so much space away.
”There was so much space for the counter attacks, what they did perfectly.
”A couple of inches offside but I think it’s a well-deserved win today.”
Barry Ferguson has taken plaudits for a change of system in the match which caught Jose Mourinho wrong-footed and allowed Rangers to play on the break.
Prior to the game, Van Bronckhorst had urged Ferguson to simply win and after the game joked that his former Rangers teammate must’ve been listening to him.
Explaining that Rangers overloaded Fenerbahce front pair Edin Dzeko and Youssef En-Nesyri by going three at the back, Gio was beaming with pride come the final whistle.
”We spoke already before about how he was going to build up against the two strikers because they’re good strikers but they don’t like to defend.
”But building up with three it made it more difficult for them but they controlled the game in the first half.
”The second half was a little bit different but they played really well, I am really proud of the team.
“I’m proud of Barry and his staff because it’s the last 16 in Europe and to go away from home and to win 3-1 it’s a perfect score to take back to Ibrox.”
Giovanni van Bronckhorst hails Leon Balogun
Giovanni van Bronckhorst was the Rangers manager that released Leon Balogun at the end of the defender’s first contract at Ibrox.
It was Gio who decided to let Balogun move on before the 22/23 season, a decision which would later come back to haunt the Dutchman in the Champions League.
But Van Bronckhorst was full of praise for the veteran 36-year-old defender in Turkey, Balogun climbing off the bench to put in a monumental display in Istanbul..
”Especially what Rangers did well is defend really well,” said Van Bronckhorst.
”Especially the back two you know of Balogun and Souttar played really well.”
