Rangers' Europa League draw: Philippe Clement says Ibrox side are 'underdogs' against Benfica
- Published
Pizzi scored with 12 minutes remaining to salvage a draw for Benfica at Ibrox in 2020
Philippe Clement believes Rangers can do something "amazing" in the Europa League last-16 tie against Benfica, saying they will be underdogs for the first time since he came to Ibrox.
Rangers will play the Portuguese champions away on 7 March before the return at Ibrox a week later.
But they say they are "disappointed" on behalf of their fans that the return will have a 17:45 GMT kick-off.
Clement nevertheless sees it as "a really exciting challenge".
"It's a very, very good team," he said. "It will be the first game we will be underdogs, that's the reality. But that doesn't mean that we cannot qualify.
"No, we believe in our in our qualities and the mentality in this group now is that we can beat everybody.
"You look at your budget and the value of your squad and compare it. In that way, Benfica are quite in front of us, but there is a really special story developing here and a lot of motivation, hunger and desire.
"And, with that, we can do really amazing things. So that's what we're going to try to do. Until now, almost every challenge I gave the players, they took. So I hope they can take this too."
Clement rejected a suggestion his side were underdogs in the Old Firm game at Celtic in December and says the Portuguese side are operating on a different level.
"I don't think we were underdogs that day - I don't see us as underdogs against Celtic," Clement added about Celtic's 2-1 home win.
"For me, there are two teams at a similar level - that's different than with Benfica. I saw Benfica last season as I like to watch my old teams and I saw them play against Bruges and they were very impressive - winning 2-0 in Bruges and 5-1 at home."
As group winners, Rangers could not be paired with fellow seeded teams Liverpool, West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Atalanta, Villarreal, Bayer Leverkusen and Slavia Prague and could have drawn sides such as Sparta Prague, Freiburg or Qarabag.
Instead, they will face one of Europe's great clubs, who sit joint top of the Portuguese Primeira Liga table with Lisbon rivals Sporting, who have a game in hand.
Their squad contains young superstars Antonio Silva, a centre-back, and defensive midfielder Joao Neves, as well as former Real Madrid winger Angel di Maria and ex-Manchester City defender Nicolas Otamendi.
Rangers drew twice with Benfica in the Europa League in 2020 under Steven Gerrard.
They conceded two late goals against their 10-man opponents as it finished 3-3 at the iconic Stadium of Light then also shipped two goals at Ibrox a fortnight later to be pegged back to 2-2.
Benfica won back-to-back European Cups at the start of the 1960s and have been five-time finalists in Europe's elite competition.
They are three-time finalists in the Europa League - formerly known as the Uefa Cup - in 1983, 2013 and 2014.
Rangers reached the last 16 of this year's competition by winning a group containing Sparta Prague, Real Betis and Aris Limassol, topping the pool thanks to a dramatic 3-2 win over the Spanish side in December.
The draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals will be made on 15 March, with the final in Dublin on 22 May.
Full Europa League last-16 draw
Sparta Prague v Liverpool
Marseille v Villarreal
Roma v Brighton & Hove Albion
Benfica v Rangers
Freiburg v West Ham United
Sporting Lisbon v Atalanta
AC Milan v Slavia Prague
Qarabag v Bayer Leverkusen
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