The Rangers coach ahead of the Champions League qualifier against Malmö FF
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Malmö FF against Rangers.
Does Steven Gerrard see his own team as favorites?
– The last time I checked I was a football coach, not a bookmaker, he says.
It sat tight inside but eventually sent Malmö FF out HJK Helsinki and advanced to the third round of the Champions League qualifiers.
Rangers are waiting there – a double meeting that starts tomorrow, Tuesday.
The day before the match, the reigning Scottish champions’ coach, Steven Gerrard, praises the Scanian opposition.
– We have great respect for Malmö. It will be a big challenge for us, he says at Monday’s press conference.
– My focus is mostly on my own team, what I have to do to achieve the results. But I have seen a lot of Malmö in the last week, the last ten days and I have been impressed. They are already a bit into their season and they have started the season very well, it is a confident team.
The Liverpool icon, who has been the coach of Rangers since the summer of 2018, believes that MFF can line up in several different ways.
– We must be ready no matter what they line up with. They have a lot of technical, offensive players next to Antonio Colak – who is a fantastic player. Malmö is also an aggressive team, especially at home. Even against Helsinki, I saw that they pressed very hard, we have to play through that pressure – and we know where there are gaps to punish them.
“No team with ego”
Gerrard continues:
– They have a lot of quality in the group and work very hard for each other. I do not think it is a team full of egos, but they work hard for each other. We have to be on our toes in both matches and take the chance to reach the playoffs. Reaching the Champions League is not the goal right now, but right now it is to take us to the playoffs.
Gerrard was also asked if he sees Rangers as favorites. He did not appreciate it.
– The last time I checked I was a football coach and not a bookmaker. If you want to check what the odds are, there are many pages out there.
Rangers lack players like Glen Kamara and Kemar Roofe, and Alfredo Morelos also looks to miss the match as he is quarantined.
– We have to take these 90 minutes first and then we focus on the return on Ibrox. We lack important players, which also makes it difficult, Gerrard concludes.
The return match will be played in Scotland next Tuesday, 10 August.
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