Vaclav Cerny plotting Rangers path to second Europa League Final chance as Ajax heartache still lingers

Vaclav Cerny is hell-bent on making the most of his second chance to help fire Rangers to another European final.

The Czech winger was robbed by injury of his chance to play a part as Ajax stormed to the Europa League showpiece. But now he’s determined to make the most of his Ibrox opportunity as Rangers look to make the same march to Estadio San Mames in Bilbao for this season’s final.

Cerny began his career with the Amsterdam giants but saw his career in Holland derailed by two serious knee injuries. He was laid low when Ajax fought their way to the 2017 final in Stockholm, losing out to Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United side. But Cerny is back in Sweden this week as Rangers begin their own Europa League campaign, with the Czech ace keen to savour a second chance at continental glory. He said: “I’ve been through a lot during my career. I had two big, big injuries, so that forms how you are, your experiences from the previous clubs, but also you personally.

“I’m just enjoying myself being on the pitch, and I just want to give this club back what they’ve given me until now. For me, it’s a clear thing that I want to pay back.

“Ajax made the Europa League final in 2017 but that was the season I was coming back from injury, so at the end of the season I was not fit enough to play. For me, I was part of it, but not how I wanted. It’s another experience, but I’m more looking forward to this season.

“As a football player, you play for a club, you play for your teammates, for your coaches -but when you’re injured for so long, all of a sudden you’re basically on your own.

“That’s what is a struggle, actually. You have to find the mentality down deep to come through it, because we all have examples of players don’t come out of