Rangers insider turns Benfica spy as Roger Schmidt given Europa League blueprint but Ibrox 'difficulties' await

Former Rangers analyst Joao Araujo knows how to hurt them. And the Portuguese has given Benfica the blueprint for success.

Philippe Clement and his men are in Lisbon for the first leg of their Europa League last 16 clash with the two-time European champions. They'll welcome under pressure Roger Schmidt and his side to Ibrox for the second instalment next week and despite the tens of millions worth of talent in the hosts' ranks, they are not in a good place domestically and the Light Blues are primed to try and pile on the pressure.

Araujo worked as part of Michael Beale's backroom staff last season, so knows the Rangers squad intimately. And the former Benfica player has been lending his expertise to his former club in a bod to see them through to the quarter-finals. He's pinpointed where the Liga Portugal outfit can find some joy against their Scottish opponents.

"Rangers have a huge size," he told A Bola. "Sportingly, it is a team that generally plays in 4x3x3, with the possibility of the midfield triangle being with one element further back and two interior players or with a double defensive pivot.

"The defensive line is very strong in duels, but Benfica will be able to take advantage, by exploiting depth, of some space that usually exists at the back. Rangers are a very aggressive team that bets a lot on direct play.

"Despite not being at the club anymore, I know that this coach is extremely pragmatic and strategically relies heavily on direct play. Benfica has to achieve a good result in the first leg, at Luz, especially because, in the second game, at Ibrox, a lot of difficulties are expected.

"It's a stadium that has a super fervent atmosphere, it's always full, and Rangers benefit a lot from the support of their