Giovanni van Bronckhorst has urged his side and the Ibrox faithful to come together and create another special night that will help take Rangers into the Europa League final.
The Light Blues go into Thursday’s semi-final second leg having to overcome last week’s 1-0 loss away to RB Leipzig.
Rangers have produced some big Ibrox performances to beat the likes of Red Star Belgrade and Braga and also got the Ibrox draw that knocked the tournament favourites, Borussia Dortmund, out of the competition.
Van Bronckhorst knows it will take something similar if Rangers want to see off another Bundesliga heavyweight and book a place in the Europa League final later this month, where they would face the winners of the Eintracht Frankfurt and West Ham United semi-final.
The Rangers manager stated: “The belief we have shown in Europe, especially in those special nights gives us a semi-final against Leipzig.
“European nights at Ibrox are special because it is dark with the lights and you hear all the players say when they play in this stadium how amazing the atmosphere is.
“Leipzig will do everything to go to the final. For us, it is the same goal to be in Seville for the final.”
The Dutchman made his Rangers’ bow in the Europa League when he masterminded the 2-0 home win over Sparta Prague that saw his team achieve its objective of making the knockout stages.
Van Bronckhorst recalled: “It felt really good, the first time on the bench at Ibrox and the reception was phenomenal when I came on the pitch. It felt like a homecoming.
“I still knew some people at the club, including Jimmy Bell, the kitman, who was there when I was a player. Everything was there.
“The first task was to go beyond the group stage which we did.”
That sparked an unbeaten 13 game run on all fronts that allowed the former Feyenoord coach to take things on from his predecessor Steven Gerrard. He knew that was important because it allowed people to buy into what he was trying to build.
Van Bronckhorst admitted: “I needed to adjust a little bit my implementation of my vision and playing style.
“Gradually, I implemented it to the team and of course the results at the start helped.
“Being at the start of a new process, when you win, it helps the morale and helps them believe in you as a coach.”
Rangers signed off with a Europa League draw at home to Lyon in the group stages and then shocked Borussia Dortmund in the knockout stages with a 4-2 in Germany and finished off the job at Ibrox with a draw.
Since then, the adventure has continued with Red Star Belgrade and Braga falling by the wayside in this glory run.
Van Bronckhorst believes taking the scalp of Dortmund was the trigger. Now he hopes it will have one more stop that will take them to Seville’s Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium later this month.
He confirmed: “The run after that, playing Borussia Dortmund was a very big challenge for us and we knew we needed to have two perfect nights to overcome them and we did.”
Van Bronckhorst had a top-level spell as a player, including his spell at Rangers where he made memories that will stay with him forever. If he can lead his team past Red Bull Leipzig this week then it could well be the biggest of the lot.
The Ibrox boss, speaking to the UEFA Europa League magazine television programme, stated: “The club means a lot to me and the memories I have from my time at Rangers was that of course my development was going really well because the Scottish league is a very competitive league, physical and a very high speed at that time.
“I needed to adjust my play a little bit. Physically, I got much stronger. I developed that part of my qualities in Scotland.
“I think my career had everything you would want and wish for as a player. That desire and hunger I also have a manager.”
