Philippe Clement expects 'zero challenge' lifting Rangers players

Clement stressed he was proud of how his charges acquitted themselves in the second leg of their last 16 double header against their Portuguese rivals at Ibrox last night and attributed the 1-0 loss to their failure to convert the scoring opportunities they created.

The Belgian, who was missing a string of key men for the rematch with Roger Schmidt’s side, admitted that fatigue and injuries had played a part in a painful defeat that ended their involvement in Europe this term.

However, he is confident the Viaplay Cup winners will have no difficulty performing at their best in the cinch Premiership fixture against Dundee at Dens Park on Sunday afternoon or in their remaining league and Scottish Gas Scottish Cup games of the 2023/24 campaign. 

READ MORE: Rangers 0 Benfica 1 (agg 2-3): Rafa Silva sucker punch dumps Ibrox club out of Europe

Asked if it would be a challenge lifting James Tavernier and his team mates after such a painful loss, Clement said: “It’s zero challenge for me.

“I don’t have any doubt about that, that it will be a challenge for me or that they will be sitting in the dressing room saying, ‘Oh now we’re out of Europe, the season is finished’.

“No, totally not. I know my boys, I know my dressing room. They will recover well tonight, they will take their ice baths, take their food, try to sleep and tomorrow they will come in with a lot of hunger and be ready for Sunday.

“I think it’s already been a memorable season. How long ago did Rangers last win the League Cup? We’re hungry for the two other trophies. We’re going to stick together, work really hard to focus on those two goals.

“I’ve read a lot of times the last couple of weeks that it was maybe better that we’re not in Europe any more. I didn’t agree, I told you, and I still don’t agree. But we’re now focusing on the two other trophies.”

He added: “At the moment, we don’t have the same impact that we had a few weeks or a few months ago with players going on. All the guys who came on are just coming back from injuries.

“They lack game rhythm. It’s about hard work now, in the next couple of weeks, to make them better. Todd Cantwell only had one training session after eight weeks out so you cannot expect miracles.

“You hope for one moment to be lucky. That could have happened with the moment at the end when the ball fell next to the post.

“You gamble on that, but that is the situation at the moment and everybody is working really hard to get a bigger squad fit for the next weeks and months.”

READ MORE: Rangers players rated in Europa League loss to Benfica

Rangers, who were held to a 2-2 draw by Benfica in the first leg in Lisbon last week, dominated possession during the 90 minutes and could have taken the lead on several occasions, not least when Scott Wright supplied Cyriel Dessers in the opposition box in the second half.

However, they failed to break the deadlock and were hit on the counter attack in the 66th minute when Rafa Silva was sent through by Angel Di Maria and netted. 

“We just didn’t take our moments and they took theirs,” said Clement. “We made a wrong decision at the goal because if Dio (Mohamed Diomande) runs with their attacker then nothing happens in that situation.

“But he’s still a young player who plays for the first time at this level, and he played a really good game. So I am proud with what I saw. I saw a team who was brave, I saw a team that wanted to take the domination of the game.

“I think it was a close tie but I am proud of what my players showed. We played a better game on the ball than we played in Lisbon. You need to be on your toes to compete with these type of teams who have a much bigger budget than you have. I felt everybody did that. Everybody raised their levels after the Lisbon game.”