AliousRangers displayed incredible resilience to bounce back from a dismal run of form at Ibrox and keep their Europa League campaign alive on what interim manager Barry Ferguson described as a “special” night under the lights.
Despite holding a 3-1 lead from the first leg, the Scottish side was pushed to the limit by Fenerbahce, who overturned the deficit with a 2-0 win in Glasgow to force extra time and, ultimately, a penalty shootout. However, Rangers once again thrived under European pressure, as the Turkish side squandered three of their five spot-kicks, allowing Ferguson’s team to scrape through to the quarter-finals.
A European Escape Amid Domestic Struggles**
This European journey has provided a much-needed distraction from Rangers’ turbulent domestic campaign. Their struggles have been well-documented—knocked out of the Scottish Cup by second-tier Queen’s Park, losing the League Cup final to Celtic, and sitting 16 points adrift of their bitter rivals in the Premiership. Philippe Clement paid the price for those failures with his job, and Ferguson was handed the reins for the remainder of the season.
Under the club legend, Rangers delivered a masterclass in counter-attacking football during the first leg in Istanbul. However, back at Ibrox, all their hard work was undone as Poland international Sebastian Szymański netted twice to bring Fenerbahce level on aggregate. Despite the setback, Ferguson took pride in how his players responded.
“They showed character in abundance tonight, and that’s what we need moving forward,” he told *TNT Sports*. “I’m delighted we’ve made it through to the quarters. There’s still a lot to improve, but this is what my teams are built on.
“It’s easy for heads to drop at 2-0, but they never gave in. Rangers demand more than just good players—you need resilience and belief, and tonight was a big test of that.”
Rangers End Dismal Home Run the Hard Way**
Heading into the match, Rangers had lost their last three home games—falling to St Mirren, Queen’s Park (where James Tavernier missed a crucial late penalty), and Motherwell. Their defeat to Fenerbahce made it four in a row, marking the first time in the club’s history they had suffered such a streak at Ibrox.
Despite another setback in front of their home fans, former Rangers striker Steven Thompson praised the team’s response.
“I’ve got to give them massive credit,” he said on *Sportsound*. “At 2-0 down heading into extra time, I really feared for them. But they regrouped, dug deep, and regained composure. It took bravery, and no one showed that more than their captain, Tavernier.”
Jack Butland—The Shootout Hero**
Rangers’ spot-kicks were flawless, but it was goalkeeper Jack Butland who emerged as the match-winner, producing two crucial saves to deny Dusan Tadić and Fred before Mert Hakan Yandaş fired wide.
Butland’s performances this season have been heavily scrutinized, with several high-profile errors marking a stark contrast to his debut campaign, when he was even linked with an England recall. However, on this occasion, he delivered when it mattered most.
“When you play in this place, with everything on the line, this is your nature,” Butland said. “We are something special. I wanted to stand up for the guys, and I wanted to get it done. There’s no better feeling.”
Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday echoed that sentiment.
“Jack Butland is the hero,” he said on *Sportsound*. “We’ve talked a lot about his drop in form this season compared to last, but none of that matters now—he’s made up for it tonight.”
No Practice, No Problem—Tavernier on the Shootout**
Despite the tension of the penalty shootout, Rangers captain James Tavernier revealed that the team hadn’t prepared for it in training.
“We probably did it the hard way, but these are the nights in European football that you can’t replace,” he told *TNT Sports*. “We didn’t actually practice penalties this week—maybe that helped!”
With a place in the quarter-finals secured, Rangers will hope this dramatic triumph can reignite their faltering season. For now, though, Ferguson and his players can celebrate a famous night at Ibrox, one that showcased their resilience and European pedigree once again.
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