JACK BUTLAND was the hero as Rangers booked a spot in the Europa League last eight.
Barry Ferguson’s side will face Athletic Bilbao after seeing off Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce on penalties.
Rangers players celebrate winning the penalty shoot out against Fenerbahce[/caption]
James Tavernier scored his penalty kick[/caption]
Jack Butland celebrates saving Fred’s spot kick, one of two players he denied[/caption]
Gers lost 2-0 at Ibrox but Butland saved from Dusan Tadic and Fred to help seal a 3-2 shootout win and put them into the quarter-finals.
He said: “When this club is going like this, we are something special.
“I wanted to get it done for the fans because we have had some difficult moments.
“You can’t top this and we deserved it.
“We believed we could get the job done. We had the confidence.
“We were brilliant in the first half, only for Fenerbahce to score a fantastic goal.
“It can get tough after that but the boys dug in. To a man they were outstanding.
“That was a tough game but we dug deep and now we get the rewards.
“We could have been more clinical but we deserved to go through after the work we put in over the two legs.”
On a tense night at Ibrox, Sebastian Szymanski netted either side of the break to send the game into extra time.
Vaclav Cerny was always Rangers’ biggest threat and came close in the first period.
James Tavernier also had a free-kick saved by Fenerbahce keeper Irfan Can Egribayat.
Fenerbahce had two penalty claims turned down in the closing stages – with Mourinho booked for his protests.
Butland saved from Tadic and Fred, with Tavernier, Cerny and Tom Lawrence netting for Gers.
Ianis Hagi’s poor spot-kick was kept out but Mert Hakan Yandas blazed over to send Fergie’s men through.
Gers skipper Tavernier said: “Wow – what about Jack in that game and shootout?
“We did it the hard way but we made it and you can see how much it means to everyone.
“These are the special nights in European football that you can’t replace.
“We didn’t work on penalties this week and maybe that helped us!”
Ferguson added: “I told the players, ‘You decide who takes the penalties!’
“And if you miss, I am going to go through you!”
Rangers will host Bilbao at Ibrox on Thursday, April 10 before travelling to the Basque Country a week later on April 17.
Gers legend Ally McCoist said: “What a night. Butland and the Rangers players stood up and wow, they are now heading into the quarter-finals.
“That took guts. I was concerned before the game after a brilliant result in Turkey.
“Fenerbahce were always going to play better but that is a little bit of redemption for the players after what happened in the 2022 final.
“I am so happy for the players and Barry – but mostly for the fans.”
Former Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield added: “Barry has done so much work behind the scenes that people don’t see.
“He is trying to unite everyone at the club, from the board members to the fans.
“That’s when it comes out – in times like that you need togetherness.
“Rangers have been missing that for a number of years and that is what Barry is trying to bring back. It’s a great win and achievement.”
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