Philippe Clement facing Rangers litmus test in Seville as history of pain in Spain weighs heavily

Maurice Ross admits history shows the rain in Spain falls mainly on Rangers whenever his old side embark on Mediterranean travel.

But the former Ibrox defender insists there’s no time like the present to buck that trend by racking up a first win in the country. Rangers face Real Betis in a Europa League Group C decider on Thursday night in a three-way last-day shoot-out that includes Sparta Prague. Three points in Seville will propel the Light Blues directly into the last 16 of Europe’s second-tier competition.

Another scenario could see Philippe Clement’s side finish second to line-up a play-off against a third-placed Champions League side before they can join the group winners in that last-16 phase. Third spot will book a play-off with a second-placed Conference League side in order to book their spot in that competition. It’s a complex series of permutations but Ross also believes the test against Betis will provide a marker of where Rangers now are.

He said: “The best result Rangers have had against Spanish sides since the turn of the century has been a draw – that tells you how
difficult it will be in Seville.

“Barcelona, Osasuna, Villarreal and Valencia – the list is quite long and they haven’t won in Spain so this is a huge task. It is what it is and the reality is that this is the level that Rangers need to be at.

“Thursday night will be a litmus test to see where we are actually at. If Rangers go to Betis and get a win that has to be deemed a phenomenal result.

“Especially when you consider the many Rangers teams of the past that haven’t managed to do that on Spanish soil – and there were some very good teams too.”

Ross is convinced Clement will resist any notion of throwing caution to the wind as Rangers