Benfica profiled as Rangers face one-time European powerhouses with evergreen World Cup winner still going strong

Rangers fans missed their last chance to go to the Estadio da Luz - and will be hoping Benfica don't put the lights out on their Europa League campaign.

The hugely impressive 65,000-seater arena in Lisbon, which literally translates to the Stadium of Light, will host Philippe Clement's men and what is sure to be a significant number of travelling light blue legions next month after the last-16 draw in Nyon.

Rangers faced the Portuguese giants in the competition fairly recently but it was during the Covid season under Steven Gerrard and meant the Ibrox faithful missed the chance to experience one of Europe's most iconic football stadiums. Now they will be digging out the passports and Clement and his backroom team will be doing their homework on their Euro rivals. Here, Record Sport profiles The Eagles.

Along with Porto and Sporting Lisbon, the giants are one of the so-called Big Three in Portugal who have never been relegated from the top flight. They are the best supported club in the county and the most decorated with 86 major trophies in their history which includes 38 Primeira Liga titles. They enjoyed a golden era in the early 1960s and 1970s when the legendary Eusebio starred for them and they won two European Cups during that period. They are the current league leaders in Portugal but, similarly to Rangers, are fighting out with their rivals Sporting who are neck and neck with them at the summit.

They finished third in a tough Champions League group behind Real Sociedad and Inter Milan. They were level on points with bottom side Red Bull Salzburg and only an injury time goal against the Austrians in the final matchday kept them in Europe. That earned them a Europa League play off spot and they came through