Former Switzerland international Stephane Henchoz believes a Servette side who knocked Genk out in the last round of the Champions League qualifiers could face an easier task against Mick Beale’s Rangers.
Perform like they did against Kilmarnock on Saturday – all possession and so little penetration during that most insipid of 1-0 defeats – and Old Firm rivals Celtic may be the flying the Scottish flag all on their own in Europe’s premiere club competition this season.
Rangers need a response against Servette tonight; Switzerland’s surprise packages arriving at Ibrox for the first leg of their make-or-break third round qualifier.
And, after defeating Belgian giants Genk in round two, one former Swiss star is backing Servette to repeat the trick against a team he feels carries less threat than their previous opponents.
Rangers face Servette battle for Champions League spot
“(Servette) has the necessary qualities to stand up to Rangers and achieve a positive result,” Henchoz, who played six league games for Celtic back in 2005, tells Blue Win.
“It’s true that Rangers are maybe a bit more flashy than Genk. But in terms of team quality, for me, Genk is just as strong or even better than Rangers.”
Of course, one weapon Beale has on his side is that typically febrile Ibrox atmosphere. Bigger and better sides than Servette have drowned in that crashing blue tide in recent seasons, after all; Rangers seeing off PSV Eindhoven at the same stage 12 months ago.
Henchoz, however, is backing Servette to stand up and be counted on this most feverish of stages.
“The Servettiens are not 17 or 18 year old guys who are going to play for the first time in a stadium where there is an atmosphere,” the former Liverpool defender argues.
“Above all, don’t have any regrets. We must not say to ourselves at the end of the match that we missed (the opportunity to qualify) because we did not dare to play.”
