The environment the Eagles will encounter at Ibrox in their matchup against Philippe Clement’s team is of interest to the Portuguese media, as Benfica is scheduled to visit Rangers in the second leg of the Europa League round-of-16 this week.
That’s the reason Jair Tavares is interviewed in today’s A Bola newspaper. After leaving Lisbon to play for Hibernian, the midfielder had a lot to say about their Scottish opponents.
The 23-year-old emphasized the support that Rangers receive from their supporters while making it apparent that Benfica will have to contend with a challenging atmosphere at Ibrox.
“The atmosphere will be frantic and electrifying for Benfica.” Those, in my opinion, perfectly capture the vibe at Ibrox—the Rangers supporters are fervently loyal to their team and incredibly noisy. They never stop talking, always cheering the team on from the beginning to the end, and occasionally it even seems like they’re competing against you on the field, Jair Tavares said to A Bola.
Even while Tavares sees opportunities, he still thinks Benfica is the favorite in this evenly matched match in Lisbon.
“I anticipate that both teams will have an incredibly tough game. Even if it’s difficult to play at Ibrox, I believe either team can go to the next round after the Luz game. However, I still think Benfica has an advantage.
Regarding the Rangers players who could pose the most danger to Benfica, Tavares was also questioned. Having played the Ibrox side last weekend, Hibs is familiar with the people who can have an impact.
James Tavernier, the captain. He is highly offensive, physically fit, and experienced. He’s a master at setting pieces. John Lundstram is the midfield pendulum after that. In addition, he is the team’s rhythm coach and possesses great physical strength. A very, extremely creative midfielder is Todd Cantwell. There’s never a cry from the ball at his feet, as the Portuguese would say.
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