ALEX RAE reckons Rangers can snap out of their domestic slump and grab glory in Portugal tomorrow night – just like his team did 15 years ago.
The Premiership title looks gone for Steven Gerrard after falling 12 points behind at the weekend. But it was even worse in November 2005 with Alex McLeish’s side 15 points behind Celtic heading to Porto in the Champions League after losing to their rivals back to back in the League Cup and league.
But incredibly they grabbed a 1-1 draw thanks to Ross McCormack’s late strike and two weeks later they became the first Scottish side to reach the last 16 by drawing with Inter Milan.
Rae, who played that night in the Dragao, said: “I don’t think many people gave us a chance going over there. We lost our form – a bit like right now – but that doesn’t mean you can’t organise a team.
“We needed a draw like Rangers do on Wednesday. We were chasing them all over the park for most of the night but they only got one ahead so that gave us something to cling to.
“Then big Alex made the move to bring on young Ross and it worked a treat.
“This is a massive week. If Rangers knock them out it would be special and it could be the catalyst for what I believe is the more important game – Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie at Tynecastle. You have to say that is the only avenue for Rangers to win a trophy this season.”
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