Chris Sutton believes Rangers joining Celtic in the Champions League group stage will give Scottish football the biggest boost in over a decade.
The former Parkhead striker has already seen a decisive rise in the game's standing on the continent as his old club returned to his section of Glamor after five years of exile. I feel that there is But Sutton thinks the Ibrox club going in there alongside their Glasgow rivals would deal another heavy blow to his arm.
Both Celtic and Rangers were in the group at the same time. It's been 15 years since he joined the stage. The Giovanni van Bronckhorst-led team could qualify with a play-off victory over PSV his Eindhoven. Sutton said it was significant that the two clubs survived and that Hearts beat his FC Zurich to advance to the group stage of his league in Europe. Motherwell's nightmare exit from Sligo to Rovers and Dundee's way of United's devastating defeat to AZ Alkmaar was a very disappointing early defeat.
However, Record Sport columnists feel the remaining trio can remedy the situation over the next two weeks. "People step into Scottish football so quickly. It's sad to see Motherwell and United out at the first hurdle, especially the way they're sent off. But there are two teams in the Champions League group.
"Outside of elite nations, it's not so much when you have two teams out there and how much lift it gives the game. It's already a big thing for Celtic to be there.That's where you want it.For fame and finances.People are watching it all over the world.Players are watching it.Celtic Park's Looking at the atmosphere can make the difference if it attracts a particular player or not. Khorst have done a great job of getting them to the Europa League final and have made Scotland very well known, which is the next step.While PSV have a 50-50 winning percentage in the match, the two clubs are still in the finals. Mixing in is a great opportunity to benefit everyone who attends a Scottish match in terms of how it will be viewed and a spin-off for everyone.
ts We're in the same boat as Europa, it's great to know that regardless of what happens in their respective playoffs, the three teams will play group stage football until the world cup final shut down...but level The higher, the better, so let's hope Robbie Neilson can do it too.”
Sutton knows the magnitude of the challenge, but he uses a recent example to point It shows that the team doesn't need an inferiority complex. He continued: It's tough. Expect nothing from these teams.
"But you can go in there and you can scalp it. Let's create a special moment. Look at Sheriff Tiraspol. Real Madrid won last year, but Moldova defeated them in the group stage at the Bernabéu.
"That's all. Even if it's too difficult overall, you can make ripples and leave your mark. Players and fans alike." Have a night to remember."
Sutton, on the other hand, doesn't think Rangers will be at a disadvantage against PSV due to fixture scheduling. Former Rangers boss Ally McCoist has been sued by SFA for not giving his old club a weekend during the playoff tie when the Dutchman is given a free weekend before the second leg.
But Sutton said, He gets the Rangers to actually ask for the game to be postponed. No, that's how I see it. Everyone should have an opinion, but I'm not quite sure where Ally came from. We've been talking about clubs with big, strong teams. This is why.
“Rangers didn't need to rest to be in the Europa League final. We know when you play in Europe you play weekends, weekends, weekends. The players and managers know it all too well, and the Rangers may actually be happy to let their players play to get more game hours and minutes since the season is just getting started.
``What can we do? The competition organizes the dates and the games. Hm. You have 3 completely free days between playing Hibs at Easter Road and Eindhoven and not long trips or flights so where's the problem.
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