Michael Beale insists Rangers are going to Servette to attack

By Sports Desk August 14, 2023

Rangers manager Michael Beale warned they had arrived in Switzerland to attack Servette rather than hold on to their first-leg lead.

Two early goals at Ibrox set Beale’s side up for a 2-1 advantage in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, although Rangers were frustrated to concede from a penalty and fail to score against 10 men after a 59th-minute red card for the visitors.

Servette have drawn all three of their home games this season, including against Genk in the second round, and only lost once at the Stade de Geneve in the Swiss Super League last term.

But Beale has targeted a second-leg win to make sure there is no doubt about Rangers’ progress.

A play-off against either PSV Eindhoven or Sturm Graz awaits the winners with the Dutch side 4-1 ahead at the halfway stage, while the losers will go straight into the Europa League group stage.

Beale said: “We did a good job last week to get ourselves in front but this game for us starts 0-0 and it’s important we try to win again because if we do that then we know we are definitely through.

“It’s hugely important to the club, the fans and us as players and staff as well, so it’s important we attack the game head on.

“We have come to win and if we perform to our level that gives us a good chance too.

“We want to be positive on the front foot wherever we go. There won’t be too much of a change in our normal set-up.

“One thing’s for sure, we are not coming here to hold on to what we have got.”

John Lundstram has not travelled to Geneva because of family reasons but Connor Goldson and Ryan Jack are back in the squad after being rested during Saturday’s 4-0 win over Livingston.

Meanwhile, Beale dismissed reports that he was interested in a move for Bristol City defender Zak Vyner, formerly of Aberdeen, and declared that Glen Kamara was not on the verge of joining Leeds as reports stated.

On the midfielder, he said: “There is nothing in that. At this moment.”

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