While Cyriel Dessers and Vaclav Cerny secured Rangers a well-earned point against Olympiakos, Philippe Clement was keen highlight the role played by a few lesser-sung Europa League heroes.
The equaliser which kept Rangers in the top-ten of the revamped competition – coming just eight minutes after Ayoub El Kaabi lashed a stunning volley past Jack Butland – would not have looked out of place in the Champions League, let alone it’s younger, Thursday night sibling.
A nicely-weighted through ball from Vaclav Cerny on a night in which every one of the winger’s touches seemed slathered in the most velvety honey.
Followed, fittingly, by a wonderfully composed dummy and finish from the oft-maligned but occasionally-awesome Cyriel Dessers.
But, like he did after the 4-0 crushing of FCSB last time out, Clement could not look beyond Connor Barron and Nicolas Raskin again as this ever-improving midfield partnership rolled back the years.
Another classy, commanding continental a display reminiscent of the Steven Davis and Ryan Jack heyday.
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Connor Barron and Nicolas Raskin shine as Rangers draw at Olympiakos
Nico Raskin, not for the first time since he returned to the Rangers XI, topped the ball-winning charts with seven successful tackles.
Connor Barron was not far behind on four of his own. The 22-year-old developing into a real on-pitch leader so early on in his Rangers and European career.
“Nico is growing,” Clement tells reporters at full-time, also determined not to leave out the industrious Mohamed Diomande either in the number ten spot.
“[We now have] two young guys with a lot of energy who are still learning details of the game. But they are really hungry to learn, and we did a lot of video sessions in the last couple of weeks.
“They take really good steps forward. They both played a massive game for me. And Dio also, in his role that he had. So, it was important against them to have control of the midfield because, otherwise, you always lose the game against Olympiacos.”
European encounters against teams of Olympiakos’ ilk are often decided in the midfield battleground. And as Rangers spilled Greek blood in Piraeus, it was Clement’s two midfield titans who walked into the home of the gods and claimed their prize.
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Philippe Clement backs Rangers duo to improve even more
“[Barron and Raskin were excellent] not only defending-wise but also offensive-wise,” Clement adds. “Picking out the right passes in the moments we, so could make the transition. So yeah, I’m pleased about that.
“But that’s the nice thing about this group. It’s not a start. The start was in August or, for some players, in September. But it’s the beginning. They can only grow.
“They can only become better if they keep this hunger, desire.
“And we’re going to work hard on that. To go in every detail. To make things better. And to give them more experiences. So evenings like this are crucial for that. They learn a lot against opponents from this level. And they are hungry to become better.
“So they will grow out of that.”
If you had told Rangers fans after the 1-0 defeat at Kilmarnock on October 20th that this was how the next few weeks would go, even the most ardent members of the ‘Clement Out’ camp may have been happy with the forecast.
Yes, that Aberdeen reverse leaves Rangers facing an uphill battle in the Premiership title race.
But securing four points and five goals against FCSB and Olympiakos, plus a place in the League Cup final, and Rangers’ iron-clad Barron-Raskin spine is helping put smiles back on faces in the blue side of Glasgow.
