Carlos Carvalhal could have joined Rangers as Braga boss picks brains of old pal Pedro Caixinha for Ibrox

Braga manager Carlos Carvalhal once came close to taking the Rangers job – now he'll take them on in the Europa League this month.

The Primeira Liga side have been paired with the Scottish champions in the quarter-finals.

It's a huge occasion for both clubs with a semi against RB Leipzig or Atalanta awaiting the winner and Carvalhal, in his second managerial spell with his hometown club, is determined.

But he could have spent time in the Ibrox dugout before the April 14 Ibrox leg, which follows the battle in Portugal a week earlier, and even once held talks with Celtic.

He told the Scottish Sun : "I was close with Celtic and with Rangers also.

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"I was connected with Celtic one time and I was connected with Rangers one time.

"When Rangers were in the second division, before Mark (Warburton) was there, I was connected with both Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday.

"In that moment, it was a question of minutes.

"I was talking with both clubs but Sheffield Wednesday was faster in that moment.

"They came to talk with me faster and we decided to go there.

"But in that moment, I also had in my hands a possibility to go to Rangers."

He's been talking to some compatriots who had differing levels of