It wasn’t for a lack of effort that Rangers exited the Europa League at the hands of Benfica, both on the pitch and in the stands.
Gers boss Philippe Clement had urged the Ibrox faithful to make it an uncomfortable night for the Portuguese giants and they didn’t disappoint.
On another night, Rangers might have scraped through but Benfica had the clincial edge needed that those in Light Blue just didn’t possess during a rain soaked 90 minutes.
Rangers run out of steam against Benfica
One of the first things that Clement wanted to get back was a belief in the fan base.
After a summer rebuild that went badly wrong, the Belgian inherited a squad that was imbalanced and underperforming.
Nobody would have believed him if he said we would be where we are just five months later.
Rangers were short of quality and a cutting edge against Benfica but the fans aren’t stupid.
They know that Cyriel Dessers isn’t our first choice number nine or that Scott Wright would ever start such a big game unless there was an injury crisis.
But what they also know is that we are in this together and that the players, even when quality is an issue, won’t stop trying.
Speaking to Rangers TV after the game, Dessers cut a frustrated figure when he reflected on what might have been against Benfica:
“I don’t have a lot of words for it, Ibrox tonight was magical.
“You hear a lot about it and obviously two years ago everybody saw what this stadium, how it can be, on a knockout game in the Europa League, but tonight was absolutely fantastic.
“They did everything for us, they gave us the energy, they gave us a boost.
“I’m really sad that we could not give them the result.”
In the last three games, only one change has been made and that was Wright coming in for the injured Dujon Sterling.
Under normal circumstances, there is no way that Philippe Clement would want to take that approach in such a run of fixtures but he had little choice.
The first team regulars (who aren’t defenders) that came off the bench, are all just back from injury.
Rangers fans could see that their team was running on empty but appreciated the effort they were making to try and make something happen.
There was no shame in going out to Benfica, the only frustration were the goals that we conceded over the two legs.
What can’t be questioned is the commitment from the players and the fans who, for once, are both singing off the same song sheet.
