"We have to show that we deserve to advance to the quarter-finals"

PREVIEW

Roger Schmidt previewed Rangers-Benfica in the second leg of the Europa League round of 16 on Wednesday, March 13, and guaranteed that the Reds will have to apply their experience and quality to show that they have what it takes to seal their coveted place in the quarter-finals. 

You've said that the atmosphere at Ibrox Stadium is one of Rangers' greatest strengths. What do you expect from this game? Has mental preparation been key?

It's the second leg of this tie, and we're playing away from home. After the draw in the first leg, this game will be decisive, as one team will be out of the Europa League. That's why I expect a more open game compared to last week. In the first leg at our stadium, they scored on the two chances they created. Then they defended the result a bit more and forced us to play very offensively. We managed to create some good chances, but in the end, we had to accept the draw. That's the situation. Tomorrow [Thursday, March 14] we start from scratch and the winner advances to the quarter-finals. It's very simple. As for the atmosphere, I've never been here, but I've heard about it. It's a huge motivation for Rangers, but also for us. We're ready for it, and we've shown it in tough international games. We have a lot of young players in the team who have gained experience in these kinds of matches. We're ready to play a good game and do everything we can to get through to the next round.

Do you expect a different approach from your opponents compared to the first leg?

It's a different game. It's 0-0 and there's no away goals rule. Rangers like to attack and believe in themselves and their quality. I expect an open game, as it was in the first leg, and we have to be ready for that. We have to defend more than we did last week. We're a team that can't hide. We have 90 minutes to create chances and show that we can win. I expect a very good game, played in a great atmosphere, where the best team will win.

Are you frustrated to arrive here [Glasgow], where Rangers are very strong, without having the lead in the tie?

No. In football, we have to look forward and live in the here and now. What happened last week no longer matters. The situation is what it is. I think we deserved more than a draw. The result was better for Rangers than for us, but we have to accept that. Sometimes you're very effective and that's reflected in the result, and that's what happened with Rangers. We're not going to complain about that, and tomorrow [Thursday, March 14] we have to show that we can work well as a team. The players' connection in defense will be important, but we also have to show strength in attack.

Have you prepared for the penalty shoot-out, or do you think Benfica will decide before then?

We want to win, no matter how. If we have to play extra time or go to penalties, we have to be ready for that. We've prepared for every situation.

We're in a European game and only one team can advance to the quarter-finals. Do you feel that this is a moment of affirmation for Benfica this season?

Of course it is. Year after year, it's always the same, these are the decisive weeks for anyone fighting for titles. The games are very close together, and the good thing is that we're still playing in three competitions. We're going to do our best in the league, we've still got the second leg [semi-final against Sporting] of the Portuguese Cup and, tomorrow [Thursday, March 14], the second leg [last 16 against Rangers] of the Europa League. These weeks are decisive for each of these competitions, because we're coming to the end of the season. We have to show that we deserve to advance to the quarter-finals of the Europa League. That would be a great achievement, and we're ready to fight for our goals on all fronts.