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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Ewing Grahame

Rangers sent Servette warning by former Celtic defender

Former Celtic defender Ramon Vega has warned Rangers not to underestimate Champions League third qualifying round opponents Servette ahead of their first-leg clash at Ibrox tomorrow night.

The Swiss side edged out Genk after a shootout last week having played the vast majority of their second leg in Belgium with 10 men.

And former Switzerland internationalist Vega, who won the treble during a six-month stint at Parkhead in 2001, insists that team unity will prove a substantial barrier to Michael Beale’s side’s progress to the play-off round.

“Although there isn’t really one individual that Rangers need to look out for, that doesn’t make them any less dangerous,” Vega said.

“Servette is a team and it’s all about the collective with them, with every player having a job to do and knowing how to do it.

“Last week they played with ten men for two hours against Genk in Belgium but still came from behind twice before going through after a penalty shoot-out but their players’ tactical awareness is so high that you wouldn’t have noticed – it didn’t affect them at all.

“On Saturday they were away to Stade-Lausanne-Ouchy and took a point with a last-minute goal because this is a team that doesn’t give up.

“There is a lot of money at stake when it comes to qualifying for the Champions League and Swiss clubs – particularly one as small as Servette – need that money every bit as much as Celtic and Rangers so there is every incentive for Weiler’s players.

“However, at the moment Rangers is a wounded tiger and, as we know, a wounded tiger can be very dangerous.”

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