Determined Scott Arfield insists Rangers don’t fear a Europa League dust-up with big-hitting Champions League drop-outs.
Instead, the Ibrox ace reckons it will be their potential play-off rivals dreading a trip to Glasgow ahead of Monday’s draw.
Barcelona lead this list of glamour opponents Rangers could face when the knock-out stages get under way in February.
Fellow Spaniards Sevilla, German giants Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig plus Atalanta, Porto and Zenit Saint Petersburg are also in the hat after crashing out of Uefa’s premier competition.
Sheriff Tiraspol are the lowest ranked side who could be lying in wait for Gers but the Moldovans have already proved they’re no pushovers either after pulling off one of the game’s biggest ever shocks with September’s stunning win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
But Arfield insists his side are ready to take on anyone.
“This is what you are in football for, to play in the best arenas and against the best teams to test yourself,” said the Ibrox ace.
“These teams have dropped down and there is some calibre of club left in the competition.
“Whoever we come up against, we know it’s going to be a difficult game. We’re certainly looking forward to the draw.
“I think we’re a team people will look at - the way we play, the mentality, the stature of the club - and I don’t think people will take us lightly in this competition given what we’ve done these last three seasons by getting into the group stages and advancing.
“It’s certainly what we want to do again.”
Gers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst lifted the Champions League as a Barca player and would relish a Nou Camp return.
He smiled: “We’ll wait for the draw but there are definitely some teams who will bring memories to myself.”
The Euro action goes into cold storage for the next two months but Gers still have plenty work to do during December as they look to cement their four-point Premiership lead.
Kemar Roofe is a doubt for Sunday’s trip to Hearts while van Bronckhorst admits he still has no idea how long he will be without Ryan Jack after the Scotland international suffered another breakdown on the back of a nine-month injury lay-off.
The Dutchman - who does welcome frontman Alfredo Morelos and Fashion Sakala back for the Tynecastle trip after both were rested against Lyon on Thursday night - said: “I don’t know if it’s the same injury for Ryan. At the end of our last session before the Lyon game, he went off the pitch with a problem so we’re still diagnosing it.
“Once we know more we can say more about the injury he has. He won’t be available for Sunday but hopefully he’ll join us soon.”
Jack’s continuing absence is a worry but van Bronckhorst has hailed youngsters Nathan Patterson for the way they handed the trip to France.
Bassey scored an OG against the Ligue 1 giants while a late Patterson mistake was nearly costly too.
But van Bronckhorst felt both showed their growing maturity during the 1-1 draw.
“I’m really happy with Nathan,” he said. “He’s a young player who’s very talented and also an international for Scotland.
“His performance on Thursday was really good and I’m really happy with him.
“I’m looking forward to working with him for a longer time so we can develop Nathan to become a better player.
“I haven’t seen Calvin play a lot as a left-back. I’ve seen some footage but of course in my five games here he’s played as a central defender, so I’m really happy with him.
“He’s got everything a modern defender needs. He’s very quick, good in the air, physically he’s very strong.
“We’re just working on him on how to build up play but he’s a very good kid.
“Like Nathan he’s open to learn new things and to be better every game.
“Those kind of players give me a lots of energy to work even harder with them.”
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