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      BT Sport pundits make their Champions League predictions for coming season… and Man City look set to dominate

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      BT SPORT pundits expect Manchester City to finally win the Champions League this season.The Citizens have won everything in the last few years but Europe’s highest honour still eludes them even though they made it to the 2020-21 final when they were denied by Chelsea.
      Pep Guardiola has come close to winning the Champions League with Man City – however it still eludes himCredit: AFP
      However, Owen Hargreaves, Joe Cole and City hero Joleon Lescott believe this is the Premier League champions’ year as they all agree they will finally lift the Champions League trophy.
      The three pundits also expect Pep Guardiola’s men to win most of the competition’s individual high honours.
      Lescott, who won two Prem titles with the Manchester giants, and Cole expect star signing Erling Haaland to finish the season as the competition’s top scorer.
      Hargreaves, on the other hand, backs new Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski to continue the same goalscoring success he had with Bayern Munich.
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      The Bayern Munich icon and Lescott, though, expect City star Kevin de Bruyne to stand out as the Champions League’s best player.
      Cole, who played in the 2008 Champions League Final, disagrees and has his money on Lewandowski to stand out.
      The ex-Chelsea star and Lescott also expect City ace Phil Foden to win Best Young Player of the Year.
      While Hargreaves anticipates Barcelona starlet Pedri to have a breakout year in the Champions League.
      BT Sport pundits expect Manchester City to dominate the Champions LeagueCredit: BT SPORT
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      City will be joined by Premier League foes Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham in Europe’s premiere competition.
      The Reds came close to winning last season’s trophy but were denied by Real Madrid in the final.
      Manchester City hero Joleon Lescott expects his ex-club to win the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty
      Joe Cole believes Manchester City star Erling Haaland will be the top scorerCredit: Getty More

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      Owen Hargreaves describes Karim Benzema as ‘irreplaceable’ as Frenchman becomes Real Madrid’s second all-time top scorer

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      OWEN HARGREAVES says Karim Benzema is “irreplaceable” for Real Madrid after the Frenchman became the club’s outright second all-time top goalscorer.The 34-year-old’s strike against Eintracht Frankfurt to help seal the UEFA Super Cup was his 324th goal for the Spanish giants.
      Benzema has thrived since Carlo Ancelotti returned as Real Madrid managerCredit: Getty
      Pundit Hargreaves was impressed with Benzema in last night’s winCredit: Getty
      It left him one goal clear of Real Madrid legend Raul and behind only his former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo – who scored 451 – in the all-time list.
      The forward played a crucial part in dragging Madrid to last season’s Champions League success, and is among the frontrunners for the Ballon d’Or.
      BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves believes Benzema is central to what makes Real special – and thinks he can continue to be great for a few more years yet.
      The former Manchester United midfielder told BT Sport: “I think the great players rise to these occasions. Benzema, whenever they’ve needed him to have a big moment, him and Vinicius Junior have produced.
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      “It’s just the awareness, the experience that he has at 34.
      “He’s irreplaceable, but I think the thing about Benzema is he’s not going to rely on his physicality because he’s not super powerful so I think he’s going to age well.
      “He’s not going to worry about making these big runs because he’s always been a smart player, so in that sense I think he probably still has another couple of years at the top level.
      “He doesn’t look like he’s slowing down, [Luka] Modric doesn’t look like he’s slowing down.
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      “I don’t think you can (replace him). Benzema, they tried with Mbappe, he’s going to be hard to replace because there isn’t another one out there.”
      Having been at the Bernabeu since 2009, the French forward’s best moments were arguably the role he played in last season’s Champions League knockout games.
      Benzema inspired Madrid to unlikely comebacks against PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City to get to the Champions League final, sometimes single-handedly dragging his side back into games through sheer will power.
      He is now 126 goals behind Manchester United’s wantaway star Cristiano Ronaldo in Real Madrid’s all-time scoring list.
      Read More on The Sun
      Benzema claimed the second goal last night after David Alaba opened the scoring against Frankfurt.
      It continues his outstanding form from last season, when he scored 44 times in 46 games to also help Real Madrid waltz to the La Liga title. More

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      Frank Lampard and Steve Gerrard excelled as players.. but they’re both on the precipice of disaster as club managers

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      AS Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard prepare to meet as managers for the first time on Saturday, all talk of greatness from their playing days feels remote.Both were Champions League-winning captains. Both are bona fide Premier League legends.
      Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard face problems as managers as big as the headache they gave England bosses about how to use them togetherCredit: Getty
      In 2005, both were on the Ballon d’Or podium — ranked second and third in the list of the best  players on the planet, behind Ronaldinho.
      And they both earned more than 100 England caps, playing together on 70 occasions as part of that midfield conundrum that was never properly solved.
      Now the bosses of Aston Villa and Everton are both on the precipice of a crisis and feature high in the Premier League managerial sack-race odds.
      There is no definitive answer to who was the finer footballer — and debate still rages about why they could never operate together effectively for the Three Lions.
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      Gerrard has previously pointed the finger at a succession of England managers who failed to handle the egos of the tarnished “Golden Generation”.
      In a BBC interview in 2020, Gerrard said: “I look back on England with a lot of regrets . . . we under-performed.
      “We needed a manager who was bigger than all of those individual players.
      “I look at managers now that are bigger than the team:  Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola.
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      “I think someone like that who was above the Golden Generation, who was prepared to make the tough decisions, would have got more out of that group of players.”
      While Sven-Goran Eriksson, Steve McClaren, Fabio Capello and Roy Hodgson didn’t fit that criteria for England, Gerrard and Lampard are surely “bigger” in profile than their squads at Villa and Everton respectively.
      Both have chucked their weight around in calling out underachieving players.
      Everton boss Lampard accused his team of lacking “b******s” after an FA Cup trouncing at Crystal Palace last season.
      And Gerrard stripped Tyrone Mings of the Villa  captaincy before the season kicked off, benching the England defender for the shock 2-0 opening-day loss at Bournemouth.
      But neither man is thriving as managers of grand old English clubs looking to  emulate long-gone glories.
      When the England squad was riddled with club cliques,  Lampard and Gerrard were never close friends. And during the Mourinho-Benitez era, the rivalry between Chelsea and Liverpool was especially fierce.
      Neither was there real animosity between the pair — both bright and likeable characters.
      Yet on the pitch, whether they were employed together in the centre of a 4-4-2 or with a holding player behind them, they rarely gelled.
      One dilemma Villa chief Steven Gerrard faces is how to use Philippe CoutinhoCredit: PA
      Frank Lampard would be under more pressure if Everton lose to VillaCredit: Getty
      They were not carbon copies as players. Lampard was a more consistent goalscorer and Gerrard had stronger defensive attributes.
      Yet they were similar enough to instinctively want to make the same forward runs.
      Can either become the first Premier League playing great to become a truly successful manager in England’s top flight?
      For while success as a player earns a degree of dressing-room respect when a new manager arrives at a club, it can quickly wear off.
      Playing and managing are two entirely  different skill sets — and great players often struggle to cope with coaching players of lesser ability.Gerrard’s stock was  certainly higher than Lampard’s when they took up their current posts last season.
      Lampard was interviewed for the Villa job before Gerrard was appointed in November  as he struggled to find employment following his Chelsea sacking the  previous January.
      When he turned up at Goodison Park after a year-long hiatus, Lampard inherited a squad littered with expensive flops, recruited by a succession of failed managers, at a club which has become a byword for incompetence.
      Everton inched clear of relegation thanks to their decent home form.But the summer brought little cause for optimism.
      Richarlison was sold to Tottenham, Dominic Calvert-Lewin suffered another long-term injury and James Tarkowski and Dwight McNeil, from relegated Burnley, were the only permanent signings before the weekend’s big kick-off.
      He has struggled to deal with whether big-money signings Philippe Coutinho and Emi Buendia can play in the same side, in echoes of the Gerrard-Lampard conundrum.
      This week’s loan signing of Wolves defender Conor Coady and a permanent deal for Lille midfielder Amadou Onana have improved the mood.
      But after a home defeat by Chelsea, another setback at Villa Park would cause alarm.
      Gerrard arrived at Villa having led Rangers to an  invincible league season in the  previous campaign, and enjoyed an impressive start — four wins in six, and only narrow defeats by Liverpool and Manchester City.
      Yet Villa ended the season miserably, with just two wins in their last 11 games — against relegated Norwich and Burnley — followed by that shocker at Bournemouth on Saturday.
      Gerrard lost his assistant, Michael Beale, a trusted lieutenant at Ibrox and Villa Park, when he took over as manager of QPR.
      He has struggled to deal with the issue of whether two big-money signings — Philippe Coutinho and Emi Buendia — can play in the same side, in echoes of  the Gerrard-Lampard conundrum.
      And his public humiliation of Mings has stunned many at Villa Park, where the England defender is hugely respected.
      That was a massive, potentially make-or-break, call — but  perhaps the sort which one or two England  managers should have made when Gerrard and Lampard were in their pomp. More

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      Champions League 2022/23 group stage draw: Date, TV channel, live stream FREE and pots

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      THE Champions League group stage draw is just weeks away – and there will be some intriguing match-ups.Real Madrid held their nerve to beat a six-time winners Liverpool in a tense final last season.
      Real Madrid defeated Liverpool in a tense final last seasonCredit: Getty
      But the time has come for the biggest teams around Europe to compete for this prestigious trophy once again.
      Find out all you need to know about the group stage draw below…
      When is the Champions League group stage draw?
      The group stage draw for the iconic tournament is set to take place on Thursday, August 25.
      It is scheduled to get underway from 4pm UK time – 6pm local time.
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      Istanbul, Turkey will be the city where the draw is being hosted which is also where the final is expected to be played and hosted the 2021 Champions League conclusion.
      Will the Champions League group stage draw be on TV and can I live stream it?

      The Champions League draw will be broadcasted LIVE on BT Sport
      Subscription members of BT Sport can also stream all the action via the BT Sport app or the BT Sport website.
      But BT Sport YouTube are expected to be covering the draw for FREE to give all users access.

      Most read in Football
      What are the pots?
      There are four pots for the Champions League group stage draw which are then allocated into groups of eight.
      Pot 1: Real Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt, Manchester City, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Porto, Ajax
      Pot 2: Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, RB Leipzig, Tottenham Hotspur
      Pot 3: Borussia Dortmund, Red Bull Salzburg, Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter, Napoli, Sporting CP, Bayer Leverkusen
      Pot 4: Club Brugge, Celtic, Marseille
      Remaining pot spaces to be completed after qualifying rounds
      How does the draw work?
      The draw features 32 teams: 26 teams given direct entry to the group stage and the six winners of the play-off ties.
      The first pot is made up of the champions from the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga, Primeira Liga as well as the Champions League and Europa League winners.
      Real Madrid won the Champions League last season which is why the champions of the seventh-ranked league (Ajax) have earned a spot in Pot 1.
      Pots 2, 3 and 4 are then determined by the UEFA club coefficient – something that is decided on how well the teams in each league do.
      No team can play a side from their own association. Any other restrictions will be announced ahead of the draw. More

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      Super League could be held without Premier League clubs in ‘football Brexit’ to end England’s superiority

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      ENGLISH clubs could be banned from a Super League in a controversial “football Brexit” move.Chelsea and Liverpool have both won the Champions League in the last three years while four of the last five runners-up have come from the Premier League.
      Liverpool won the Champions League in 2019 before Chelsea lifted the trophy two years laterCredit: Getty
      And now a Serie A club chief has suggested a “solution” to end English superiority with the exclusive competition.
      It comes just 16 months after the proposed breakaway European Super League.
      That plan – featuring the English ‘Big Six’ plus Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus – was thwarted within days as British football fans wrecked the rebels’ plans.
      All 12 teams have so far been allowed to continue in Uefa’s club tournaments – the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.
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      But now there are suggestions of another Super League with the notable absentees.
      Adriano Galliani, former CEO and vice-president of AC Milan and now general manager at Monza, told Tuttosport: “It could be a solution – but without the English.
      “There should also be a ‘Brexit’ in football.
      “It would then be a real European championship, without the British.
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      “On the other hand, what do you think, that in April 2021 the English fled from the Super League because the fans didn’t want it?”
      English teams have benefited from massive TV broadcast deals and mammoth sponsorships, elevating the Premier League to the richest division in Europe.
      And Galliani is keen to help level out the playing field for the rest of the continent, especially after overseeing his hometown club’s promotion to the top flight in May for the first time in their 109-year history.
      But Monza simply cannot compete financially with the equivalent teams in England.
      He added: “The 20 clubs in the English Premier League make almost four times more than the 20 in the Italian Serie A.
      Read More on The Sun
      “Monza gets 33million euros (£28m) in television rights, three of which must go as a donation to Serie B so a total of 30m (£25m).
      “A newly-promoted Premier League team earns 160m (£135m). How can I compete with Nottingham Forest?”
      Adriano Galliani wants a breakaway competition without English teamsCredit: Getty More

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      Rangers 3 Union Saint-Gilloise 0 LIVE RESULT: Tilman inspires heroic comeback keeping Gers Champions League hopes alive

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      RANGERS have taken a huge step towards their dreams of landing a Champions League spot for the first time since 2010.James Tavernier’s expertly taken penalty and Antonio Colak well-worked effort cancelled out Union Saint-Gilloise’s two goal lead.
      But Malik Tilman’s first strike for the Gers completed the heroic comeback at Ibrox.

      RESULT: Rangers 3-0 Union Saint-Gilloise (agg 3-2)
      Live stream: Rangers TV
      Rangers XI: McLaughlin; Tavernier, Goldson, Sands, Barisic; Lawrence, Lundstram, Arfield; Tillman, Kent, Colak
      Union Saint-Gilloise XI: Moris; Sykes, Burgess, Van der Heyden; Nieuwkoop, Teuma, Amani, Lynen, Lapoussin; Adingra, Vanzeir

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      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
      That is all!
      That is all from us at SunSport for the coverage of tonight’s game which saw Rangers hold on to their hopes of competing in the Champions League for the first time since 2010.
      They pulled off an astonishing 3-0 victory, in a game that was entertaining from start to finish.
      Join us next time as Rangers face off against PSV in the next round here on SunSport.
      Thank you, and good night!
      Rangers will face PSV in the next round, after they beat USG 3-0 at Ibrox tonight.Credit: PA
      PSV next!
      It is PSV who Rangers will face next in the UCL qualifiers.
      They came back from 2-1 down against Monaco to win the game in extra-time, and will pose a tough test for the Gers.
      Man of the match?
      Tonight’s SunSport man of the match award goes to Tom Lawrence.
      The new Rangers midfield man had what looked like a coming of age performance in the engine room tonight.
      His pass to Tavernier in the build up to the second goal should be hung in the louvre, and he was generally fantastic when driving Rangers forwards.
      There were a number of great performances for the Gers, including Barisic and Kent on the left hand side, and of course Tavernier, who had a hand in the first two goals.
      Who was your man of the match?

      Who do they face next?
      Rangers will face the winner of PSV vs Monaco in the next round of the UCL qualifiers.
      That game is also being played right now, as it has gone into extra time.
      Monaco came back from 1-0 down to lead 2-1, but a late Erick Gutierrez equaliser leveled the score to 3-3 on aggregate, which took it to extra-time.
      Luuk De Jong has just scored in that game, to put PSV 3-2 ahead, all they have to do is see it out for seven more minutes.
      Rangers remontada!
      Wow. What a game.
      Rangers from 2-0 down in the first leg managed to score three goals at Ibrox to turn the tie in their favour.
      They dominated the game from start to finish, but it took them a while to find their shooting boots as a silly USG handball led to a penalty that James Tavernier dispatched with ease.
      A wonderful Tom Lawrence cross then fell at the feet of the captain, who set up Scott Arfield to fire at goal, his shot was saved, but the rebound nodded in by Colak.
      It was then Malik Tillman, who rose higher than the goalkeeper to meet a sweeping Barisic cross, to head home and secure the 3-0 victory.
      What a performance from Rangers.
      Full-Time. Rangers 3-0 USG.
      They have done it!
      Rangers have gone through to the next round, and overturned a 2-0 deficit for the first time in their European history.
      What a game that was.
      Malik Tillman scored the winning goal, as Rangers qualified for the next UCL round.Credit: PA
      90+5. Rangers 3-0 USG.
      Red card.
      A second yellow card is given to Amani for another foul, this time on Glen Kamara.
      Two strikes and you’re out.
      90+3. Rangers 3-0 USG.
      A low cross from USG is smashed in, they seem to have only just clicked into gear.
      McLaughlin gathers well.
      90+2. Rangers 3-0 USG.
      Kent smashes a ball low and across goal, Alfredo Morelos is stretching for it, but just can’t quite reach it.
      So close, inches.
      90. Rangers 3-0 USG.
      Chance for USG!
      Union threatened late on, as we enter five minutes of added time!
      90. Rangers 3-0 USG.
      Morelos is through and the keeper is in no mans land!
      His touch lets him down, and the keeper gets to it about 40 yards away from the goal line…
      88. Rangers 3-0 USG.
      Tillman is awarded the man of the match award by the match sponsors.
      It looks like Rangers are going to do this, just two minutes of regulation time to see out, plus stoppage time.
      86. Rangers 3-0 USG.
      Glen Kamara is coming on for Tom Lawrence, who has been absolutely superb tonight.
      When you watch the highlights on YouTube of this one, look out for that Tom Lawrence pass in the build up to the second goal.
      84. Rangers 3-0 USG.
      Morelos has just come on the pitch and instantly has the goalkeeper scrambling!
      His shot from distance goes just wide of the left-hand post.
      82. Rangers 3-0 USG.
      Well Rangers just have to see this one out now.
      It is 2-2 in Eindhoven as it stands, between PSV and Monaco after 90 minutes.
      Monaco came back from 1-0 down to lead 2-1, but a late Erick Gutierrez equaliser has leveled the score!
      2-2 on the night, 3-3 on aggregate!
      80. Rangers 3-0 USG.
      The ball is floated in from Barisic on the left hand side once again, and Tillman rises above the goalkeeper to nod the ball in the net.
      What a jump, he leapt like a salmon.
      Rangers are on the verge of yet ANOTHER European comeback at Ibrox.
      What a way to get your first Rangers goal, history!
      Tillman’s first Rangers goal may just have got them through to the next UCL round.Credit: PA
      78. Rangers 3-0 USG.
      Goal! Tillman gets his first Rangers goal! They have done it!
      78. Rangers 2-0 USG.
      Another late challenge, this time on Matondo, and this time no yellow card.
      Tavernier will whip this free-kick in…
      76. Rangers 2-0 USG.
      No doubt about this one!
      Lazare Amani gets a yellow card for a very late challenge on Ryan Kent.
      74. Rangers 2-0 USG.
      It is a second yellow for James Sands, for a tackle where it looks like he gets the ball…
      Hang on, the linesman has intervened, and the yellow card has been withdrawn!
      Rangers very nearly down to 10 men there!
      72. Rangers 2-0 USG.
      A professional foul if ever there was one from Teuma on Tavernier.
      Kent whips a cross in, and there are big shouts for another handball, but it is not given.
      70. Rangers 2-0 USG.
      That Colak goal has really got the crowd going here, you wouldn’t bet against Rangers getting a third, that is for sure.
      Antonio Colak celebrates his goal that leveled the tie at Ibrox.Credit: Reuters
      67. Rangers 2-0 USG.
      Rabbi Matondo looks to drive down the right-hand side now, but it goes out for a goal kick.
      65. Rangers 2-0 USG.
      This is sloppy from both sides here as the ball is given away numerous times in quick succession.
      Lawrence picks it up and drives forwards again, but it comes to nothing.
      63. Rangers 2-0 USG.
      Goldson has a go from distance but seems to be caught in two minds.
      Rabbi Matondo is coming on here for Scott Arfield.
      Load more entries… More

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      Rangers 3 Union Saint-Gilloise 0 (3-2 agg): Gers complete stunning turnaround as Tillman becomes immediate fan favourite

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      RANGERS got Ibrox rocking once again – as they produced a show-stopping comeback performance to make it into the play-off round of the Champions League.Goals from James Tavernier, Antonio Colak and Malik Tillman ensured that Gers made a full recovery from last week’s blip in Belgium against Union Saint Gilloise.
      Malik Tillman jumps for joy after scoring the winnerCredit: Reuters
      Antonio Colak celebrates his equaliser with Scott Arfield and Ryan KentCredit: Reuters
      James Tavernier dispatches his penalty to open the scoringCredit: Reuters
      Giovanni van Bronckhorst kept faith with Jon McLaughlin and opted against starting Alfredo Morelos, instead giving Colak another run after his opening his account for the Ibrox club at the weekend.
      Tom Lawrence, Scott Arfield and the fit-again Ryan Kent came into the starting XI for the Light Blues as Glen Kamara, Ryan Jack and Rabbi Matondo made way from the previous week in Leuven.
      Gers enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening third of the match.
      But USG went dangerously close in the 20th minute when Siebe Van der Heyden was left completely unmarked in the box but he glanced his header wide of McLaughlin’s goal.
      Colak then almost opened the scoring just before the half hour mark for the hosts with a header that forced Union goalkeeper Anthony Moris into his first save of the night.
      Lawrence was a particular thorn in the side of USG, providing a constant threat with his dribbling and direct running at the Belgian defence.
      He had a lovely effort fly just round the post in the 33rd minute, as a goal seemed to be just one more chance away with every attack.
      As the half ticked towards a goal Rangers became a bit more sloppy in possession as they chased an opener.
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      And the visitors almost nicked a goal three minutes before half-time but McLaughlin and James Tavernier were able to combine to halt the progress of a neat passage of play by USG’s front line.
      Within seconds, Rangers had the slice of luck they needed – and earned.
      A hopeful ball in from the left side by Borna Barisic was handled by Van der Heyden and the referee wasted little time before pointing to the spot.
      Up stepped Tavernier who made no mistake whatsoever to give the home side the lead at the interval.
      Van Bronckhorst’s decision to keep faith with Colak and put Lawrence in from the start paid off in full for Rangers’ equaliser in the 57th minute.

      The Welshman was the creator and after a cross originally found Arfield, who forced Moris into a point-blank save, Colak was on hand to nod the ball home from barely two yards out.
      Ibrox was now in full voice and minutes later Tillman neatly picked out John Lundstram who forced Moris to tip a goal-bound effort out for a corner.
      In the 72nd minute, Rangers’ task almost became a lot more difficult but the referee’s assistant intervened to prevent James Sands from receiving his marching orders, having won the ball in a 50-50 and originally being shown a second yellow.
      Just as van Bronckhorst was preparing to throw on Morelos with just over ten minutes to go, Tillman popped up – quite literally – to outleap the goalkeeper and head home Barisic’s lofted first-time delivery for his first Rangers goal.
      Simon Adingra fashioned a half-chance for USG to equalise and force extra-time in the dying embers as Rangers switched off, but his shot was eventually deflected into the hands of McLaughlin.
      Jean Lazare Amani was sent off for USG well into stoppage time.

      Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page More

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      What happens if Rangers lose in Champions League qualifying?

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      RANGERS will need to perform a heroic performance TONIGHT if they are to secure Champions League qualification for the first time since 2010.The Gers were stunned by Jupiter Pro League side Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium having lost 2-0 in the first leg.
      Rangers’ hopes of qualifying for the Champions League hang by a threadCredit: Getty
      However Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men are still pipped to go through with the second encounter being on home soil
      But what happens if the Scottish giants are knocked out?
      What happens if Rangers lose in Champions League qualifying?
      If Rangers were to pull off a mighty comeback and beat their Belgian opponents, they would face wither Monaco or PSV Eindhoven in the final play-off round,
      However, if the Scottish giants were to be knocked out, Rangers would find themselves back in the Europa League this season.
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      Their bitter rivals Celtic have already snatched the automatic qualification group stage spot having won the league last campaign.
      What Pot will Rangers go in should they go through?
      If Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men navigate their way through the group stages, they are likely to land in Pot 4 – along with Celtic.
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      This is due to the Scottish League possessing one of the lower coefficients according to UEFA ruling.
      However, the Gers can possibly sneak into Pot 3 should Portuguese giants Benfica fail to secure their spot in the Champions League group stages.
      And this is down to Rangers’ individual coefficient being higher than the teams in Pot 4 (Club Brugge, Celtic and Marseille) who have already qualified.
      As a result, the former Scottish champions would avoid ‘tougher’ teams in their group, once the draw has been confirmed, giving them a better chance to get into the knock-out rounds. More