Kenny Miller believes Rangers would have struggled in the Europa League this season with below par performances.
The Ibrox hero has dismissed the notion that his former club would have succeeded if they had entered the competition where they marched all the way to final last season. A stunning run saw Rangers go all the way to penalties in the Europa League Final as they overcame German giants Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig on route to Seville.
This year they battled their way into Champions League, but performances in Group A left them staring at an unwanted record of the worst group stage team in the history of the elite competition, finishing with zero points and conceding 22 goals, against Napoli, Liverpool and Ajax. Many have suggested that the level was just one step too far for the Ibrox club, with the Europa League their standard, but former Rangers striker Kenny Miller has blasted that claim. He is suggesting poor displays in Europe and on the domestic front would have seen them struggle against the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and old foes Malmo.
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Speaking on Clyde SSB. Miller said: “This notion of going into the Europa League because we would have done well. I’ve just looked through some of the groups there.
“This Rangers team the way they are playing at the moment, make no mistake they are good players, but if you look at Arsenal’s group with PSV, Bodo Glimt and Zurich. That’s not easy if your playing well and putting in these level of performances.
“You’ve got (Sheriff) Tiraspol who beat Real Madrid last year. You’ve got USG who Rangers have already played this year. Union Berlin are flying high in the Bundesliga, Sporting, Braga and Malmo who knocked Rangers out last year.
“This notion of we’ll just go into the Europa League, we’ll be fine, we’ll get to the final again. Last year was an incredible run and a team that were high in confidence, high in belief and every single one of their players were playing at the top of their game.
“This year I don’t even think you are seeing 60 or 70% of the teams or the individual player’s capabilities and that is why the domestic scene has not been so good either.”
Rangers face St Johnstone tomorrow in Perth with a lunchtime kick off.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst's men could find themselves seven points behind as they head into the last set of fixtures before the World Cup break.
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