Giovanni Van Bronckhorst has told his Rangers players to forget about the Europa League this weekend and focus fully on trying to take another step towards ending their 13-year Scottish Cup drought.
After beating Red Star Belgrade at a full-house Ibrox on Thursday, the Gers travel to Dundee for a quarter-final tie on Sunday.
The Glasgow giants – who suffered a financial meltdown in 2012 – have not won a major domestic knockout tournament since their League Cup triumph in 2011, while they last won the Scottish Cup in 2009.
Van Bronckhorst is eager to see that change in the coming months and has called on his team to ensure they turn up at Dens Park with the correct attitude.
“We’re one game away from the semi-finals and a cup competition is very important because it is the quickest way to a major prize,” said the manager. “It’s been a while since we won a cup so we have everything to play for on Sunday.
“We have to park Europe and switch to the domestic cup. We are all preparing well and we have to make sure we are there on Sunday and that we go to the next round.”
Van Bronckhorst has no concerns about his team’s readiness to perform so soon after their exertions on Thursday.
“We have to rest and recover well because it’s only two days (between games) but the mindset of the players is fantastic so I don’t have to say anything to them,” he said. “The players who played are in recovery mode and the others have been training. Everyone has their own programme to ensure they are fresh on Sunday.”
Rangers face a big few days in their season, with the trip to Dundee followed by the return leg on Thursday, when they will have a chance to seal their place in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
“The game on Thursday gives us a lot of positivity because we have a great result to take to Belgrade,” he said. “We’re at a stage where there are very strong opponents left in the tournament and the final is still far away.
“The most important thing in Europe is that you have to be there in every tie. One slip-up, one night when you are not quite there, that can cost you your place in the tournament so you just have to take it game by game.
“Playing in Europe takes a lot of energy and a lot of thinking and decision-making as a player. You have to be dynamic. We have a big chance to go to the next round but the most important thing is to reach our level in Belgrade.
“Any team left in this tournament can win it. The team who will win it is the team who plays all the games at a high level and don’t make many mistakes.”
