Giovanni Van Bronckhorst hopes Ibrox can inspire Rangers to bounce back in tie

Giovanni Van Bronckhorst hopes Rangers can use Ibrox to take them into the Europa League semi-final following their 1-0 defeat by Braga in Portugal.

The Light Blues enjoyed some good fortune in the first half of their quarter-final clash when the home side hit the post and had the ball in the net only for a VAR check to rule the goal out but eventually Spanish striker Abel Ruiz opened the scoring in the 40th minute and it proved to be the difference.

Rangers now have the chance to overcome the deficit in Govan next week and the Gers manager, who noted that his side beat Red Star Belgrade 3-0 in Govan in the last round, said: “Of course we’re only halfway. We always want a good result to take back to the second game.

“That’s what we wanted but you know a 1-0 defeat is quite a small margin.

“We’re only halfway so next week we have a big game. We know what’s ahead of us and we will prepare well.

“The performance at times today was good. We created some chances but you all saw the quality they have.

“It’s a quarter-final so you’re going to face an opponent who is also strong.

“But we’re coming back with one goal difference. It could have been better but it could also have been worse.

“We’ve got a much better view of their team so we’re going to prepare well for next week.

“We know what the task is. It is the final game of this tie and I know at home, with the crowd behind us as always, that we can give a good performance.

“We lost 2-1 against Red Star away, but in the home game we made the difference. We have to do the same now again.”

Midfielder Ryan Jack was one of three substitutions made by Van Bronckhorst on the hour and he admitted his frustration was due to the result rather than the knock he took earlier in the game.

He said: “I took a knock on my knee but it is fine. I had ice on it when I came off. I was more just frustrated at losing the game.

“We don’t like losing at this level and we are desperate to get to a semi-final.

“When you are losing the game there is frustration there but we have to use that frustration, and the home crowd, to turn it around.”

Braga boss Carlos Carvalhal said: “The first half we scored twice, one was cancelled and we hit the post. So we could have scored more.

“We have a slight advantage in the first half of these two legs. We will respect our opponent but we will play to win the game.”