Lyon ace Xherdan Shaqiri has warned his team mates they’d be fools to disregard Rangers by expecting their toughest challenge to come from the Ibrox stands.
The former Liverpool wing king knows the atmosphere will be electric - but he insists Steven Gerrard’s Premiership champions have the ability to dazzle on the park too.
Shaqiri is just one of the star names heading to Glasgow for the Europa League Group A opener on Thursday.
And he is expecting the Ligue 1 giants to face a fierce test of their credentials on and off the park at a sell-out Ibrox.
Despite a stuttering start to their domestic campaign Peter Bosz’s side are top seeds in the group and have been installed as favourites to win in Glasgow.
But Swiss star Shaqiri said: “Rangers and their stadium is known and I don't think we can expect an easy evening.
“The atmosphere will be intense - but it doesn't do them justice to just talk about the intensity of the fans.
“Rangers are champions, they have some real quality, and it will be a big test for us.
“We started the season slowly but now we are finding the way we want to play and feel confident.
“There is so much quality in this Lyon team that we feel we can achieve big things this season.
“I have won league titles, Champions League titles, and I am here to win more trophies and help the team be successful.”
Shaqiri was a cult hero at Anfield but just missed out on meeting Gerrard who had left his hometown club to take over at Rangers a matter of weeks before the Swiss arrived in the summer of 2018.
Not that he didn’t feel Gerrard’s presence every day as a Red.
He insists the Ibrox boss’ imprint has never left the Premier League giants. And his winning mentality is something he respects having seen it transferred from Merseyside to the Clydeside.
Shaqiri said: “The handprints of Steven Gerrard are still all over Liverpool.
“Just because it has been five years or so since he has left - for the fans he has never left.
“For a club that has had so many great players he is one of the biggest winners and now he is showing he is also a winner at Rangers.”
Shaqiri made his Lyon debut in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Strasbourg - where Moussa Dembele fired in his fourth goal in three games.
All eyes will be on the former Celtic striker as he returns to Glasgow looking to inflict more pain on Rangers.
Shaqiri is in no doubt about the Frenchman’s ability - claiming he is up there with the best.
He said: “Dembele, for me, is one of the best strikers in Europe.
“I haven't played with him that much yet but in training I can see he already has all the qualities a striker needs.
“Our understanding will improve as we play more games and I am sure we can help the team in a big way.”
