Rangers sent Champions League warning over Genk as Thomas Buffel declares Union Saint Gilloise parallels unfounded

Thomas Buffel has warned Rangers that KRC Genk won’t crumble under Champions League pressure the way Union Saint-Gilloise did last season if the Ibrox club face the Belgians in next month’s third round qualifier.

Genk are favourites to beat Swiss outfit Servette to set up a clash with Michael Beale’s men exactly a year after Gers overcame a 2-0 first leg defeat to Jupiler Pro-League side Union to set up a play-off showdown with PSV Eindhoven that led to an ill-fated but financially lucrative Champions League group stage appearance. And Buffel, who spent nine seasons at Genk after three years at Ibrox, afforded himself a wry smile yesterday when the two clubs at which he spent the most time were potentially paired together.

He told Record Sport : “It’s an interesting draw, that’s for sure, but only if Genk can beat Servette first! That’s all they will be concentrating on at the moment. But if they can do that, I am sure Rangers will find them to be very different from Union in the way they handle the pressure and the situation. Last season Union weren’t expected to go to Ibrox as the favourites, but after winning the first leg 2-0, that’s what they were and they didn’t handle the pressure and the fantastic atmosphere well enough.

“Genk, if they get there, will do that better. It’s different anyway, because Rangers are at home in the first game but Genk’s players have far more European experience than Union’s did, so they won’t react the same way.

“I don’t think anyone should write them off. They came very, very close to winning the league season and only just lost it to Antwerp, so they are a very good side.

“And when Rangers go to Belgium for the second game, they will find themselves playing against a team that