Former Benfica and now-Hibernian coach Sergio Raimundo has highlighted John Lundstram as a potential difference maker during Thursday’s Europa League clash between the Lisbon giants and Rangers.
Now, those with only half an eye on Scottish football would maybe point to the set-piece threat of James Tavernier, the creativity of Tom Lawrence or the poaching prowess of Cyriel Dessers as the three biggest dangermen at Philippe Clement’s disposal ahead of this week’s round-of-16 first-leg tie.
But those more au fait with this Rangers side – Raimundo, for instance – is under no illusions about the importance of John Lundstram’s role in Clement’s gameplan.
Rangers face Benfica in Lisbon on Thursday
“Lundstram is the one who finds direct and diagonal passes. He plays the first pass for the offensive transition,” Raimundo, a former Benfica youth coach who how works at Easter Road, tells Record.
“He is a very versatile player, physically very strong, who always finds space. Almost everything in the offensive phase goes through him.”
Lundstram, brought in on a free from Sheffield United during the summer of 2021, has taken his game to an all-new level since Clement replaced Mick Beale in the Ibrox dugout. Currently playing perhaps the best football of his entire career, the Liverpool-born playmaker is not only the man who makes Rangers tick but also a player who possesses the tenacity and the discipline to thrive against top-quality opposition in Europe.
Raimundo, meanwhile, is warning Benfica to be aware of Rangers’ threat on the counter too, although Clement will be without two of his fastest players in Abdallah Sima and Oscar Cortes.
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“It’s a team that tends to have less of the ball (in Europe),” adds Raimundo, who’s Hibs side have lost 4-0 and 3-0 to Rangers in the Premiership this term.
“(Clement’s side) organises itself more in transition and works a lot of tactical schemes. That’s where Benfica can expect some danger, in the transition and in the tactical schemes.
“It’s a team that will fight to have corners, to win free kicks close to the area. It will be up to the technical quality of the players to place the ball in the area.”
